


The Young Guard

by Ardin



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Mortal, F/F, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26221177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ardin/pseuds/Ardin
Summary: High school is hell. Unless, that is, you have an awesome group of friends to help navigate your senior year with. Whether it's water polo, bullies, color guard, the Spring production, or prom - everything is easier with an inseparable group of friends by your side.A direct result of the HS AU discourse on of-scythia’s tumblr account.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 64
Kudos: 204





	1. Back to School

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by the HS AU discourse on of-scythia’s tumblr account. Many of the character’s HS personalities and extracurriculars are drawn from that discussion, as are the events that will happen at prom.

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

4:45pm: y.tanaka has logged in

4:47pm: a.hernandez has logged in

5:01pm: m.miller has logged in

**a.hernandez** : Megan! Finally! You were in the cafeteria at lunch, right? Did you see what happened?

**m.miller** : You mean Joe and Andy taking Brian Fisher’s ass to town? Oh, yeah.

**y.tanaka** : Well?? Spill! Mahira heard that Andy punched him.

**m.miller** : No, that was Joe <3 <3

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe knew that something was off the second that he and Andy stepped into the cafeteria. The rainy January weather had forced more students than usual into the large room, so it took him longer than it might normally have to spot the problem. He let out a groan when he did and heard Andy echo it. 

Brian effing Fisher. Brainless jock with a near terminal inferiority complex. Joe didn’t know why he was even surprised.

He didn’t recognize the kid Brian was towering over, but he knew the look of terror in her eyes far too well. She couldn’t have been more than 90 pounds dripping wet and was more than a foot shorter than the football player currently belittling everything from her flat chest to her hijab. Her eyes darted to the many students around her, but found no help. Most were pretending nothing was happening - a ridiculous sham, given how loud Brian was getting. A few, the other bullies and their hangers-on, were waiting and watching eagerly for the escalation they expected to come next.

Joe didn’t have to even glance at Andy as he started moving, knowing from experience and six years of friendship that she would be right there with him. As the two began to weave their way between the lunch tables toward the bully and his prey, eyes began to follow them. Those that had previously been ignoring the confrontation now watched with interest, for as much as there were some students that wanted to see Brian victorious many more had been victims themselves and while they wouldn’t help outright, they’d gladly cheer on those that would step up.

They were only a few steps away when Brian finally noticed the changed atmosphere of the room. His brief confusion before he spotted Joe and Andy gave the girl a chance to take a large step back, providing enough room for Joe to step between her and the jock, the couple inches he had on the other boy prominent as they stood nearly chest to chest. Andy ushered the girl further back before taking her place at Joe’s side, both of them glaring daggers at Brian.

He glared right back at them, but took a few steps away. The new position put him amidst several of his friends and teammates, though none immediately stood to provide additional support.

Joe only barely kept the laugh that was bubbling inside him contained. Bullies were all the same when it came down to it: absolute cowards. Beside him, Andy made no such concession, her amused scoff loud in the nearly silent room. Brian went on the defensive.

“You got a problem, lesbitch?” He shouted at her.

Oh, that’s the wrong tack to take, Joe thought as a broad smile bloomed on his face. Andy had been out since middle school and didn’t take particularly kindly to people using her sexuality as a weapon against her. For a brief moment, Joe almost felt sorry for the other boy. Almost.

“Yeah, I do. See,” she gestured vaguely at the students around them, “we’re all just trying to have a nice lunch. Chill, relax with friends, eat some mediocre food. But then you and your troop of morons has to show up and ruin the day.”

Scowls crossed the faces of several of Brian’s friends and a few of them twisted in their seats, ready to stand and join the fray if it came to that. Joe didn’t expect it would come to that - it never did - but was glad all the same to spot Booker and Nile entering the lunchroom at the edge of his vision. They would be quick to take in the situation and prepare to help.

Andy didn’t give Brian a chance to respond before she continued, “Just because you have a complete lack of self-esteem coupled with a giant racist stick up your ass, doesn’t give you the right to go around the school picking on anyone that’s different from you.” She paused for effect and to enjoy the gaping fish impression the football player was currently doing, then continued. “So, yes, we do have a problem: you.”

There was barely a whisper of a noise as the collected students waited with baited breath to see how Brian would react. They didn’t have to wait long.

With an angry snarl, Brian moved towards them, his head ducked, arms outstretched, and aiming at the tight space between his opponents as though intending to tackle the pair of them to the ground in one move. 

Joe’s heart rate barely shifted as the other boy took the few steps to close on them. At the last moment, he and Andy sidestepped outward, pivoting to stay out of his reach. With momentum now working against him, Brian could do nothing but continue on his path, providing the perfect opportunity for Joe to shove him slightly as he moved between them. The other boy promptly lost his footing, tumbling to the floor with an undignified yelp.

He lay there for a long moment before scrambling back to his feet. Joe had just enough time to shift himself once again between Brian and the younger girl that had been his original target and notice Booker and Nile moving closer before a loud voice brought the confrontation to a halt.

“Mr. Fisher. Mr. Al-Kaysani. Ms. Scythia. My office. Now.” Mr. Copley’s voice brooked no argument and Joe waited only long enough to firstly assure himself that Brian was slouching out of the room and then to cast a significant glance between Nile and the young girl. Nile’s nod and smile convinced him that she had understood and would take care of the younger girl, and he followed Brian out and down the hall, Andy behind him.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

5:21pm: m.durham has logged in

5:21pm: m.agarwal has logged in

**a.hernandez** : Do you think they are likely to get in real trouble?

**m.miller** : Maybe Brian, he started it. But Joe was just defending the little frosh girl. If anything, he should get an award. Standing up to Brian that way. 

**m.durham** : Ugh. Spare us your ridiculous crush on the theater nerd.

**a.hernandez** : Or at least remember that it wasn’t just him. Andy was the one giving him the telling off.

**m.miller** : Whatever. They don’t deserve to be in trouble for it is what I’m saying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone having difficulties with the US School Year system:
> 
> Freshmen: 13-14 years old  
> Sophomores: 14-15 years old  
> Juniors: 15-16 years old  
> Seniors: 16-17 years old, might include the occasional 18 year old near the end of the year.
> 
> The school year in the US is generally fall (Aug/Sept) to spring (May/June). This story starts at the beginning of the second semester of the Guard’s senior year (January).
> 
> Some of the school scheduling and what not will be modelled after my own high school, including the lunch situation. We had an open campus at lunch, so you could leave to get food. It meant that the whole school, all 4000 of us, ate at the same time (instead of split periods) and mostly not in the cafeteria because we weren’t going to disturb classes if we ate in the halls or on the lawns. But the caf did get heavy usage during the rainy days.
> 
> I’ve included the chatroom bits with the yearbook staff for two reasons:  
> 1\. In my high school, yearbook staff was drawn from all over the student body (mostly Juniors and Seniors), so they as a group had the most diverse vision of the rest of the students  
> 2\. I wanted some bits of non-main characters reacting to the main group's activities. It will be especially important when discussing the aftermath of prom later in the story
> 
> I apologize if my teenagers don’t sound teenaged enough. I’m in my 30s and didn’t want to embarrass myself by even attempting to pretend I know current teen slang/syntax.


	2. The Gig

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

2:31pm: y.tanaka has logged in

3:12pm: a.thompson has logged in

3:15pm: m.agarwal has logged in

3:23pm: c.gomez has logged in

3:41pm: d.nguyen has logged in

**m.agarwal** : Hey, anyone thinking about going to the Black Cat tonight? The Napoleon’s are playing.

**a.thompson** : I didn’t know that. How do you always know that stuff?

**m.agarwal** : Booker told me. He’s their drummer.

**c.gomez** : I’d love to, but my parents would never allow me in a place that serves alcohol, even if they do card well.

**a.thompson** : Why is he called Booker? Isn’t his name Sebastien?

**y.tanaka** : Yeah, but he hates it. I think Andy started calling him that.

**a.thompson** : OK, but why Booker?

**m.agarwal** : Because his last name is LeLivre? Geez, no wonder you’re failing French.

4:02pm: d.nguyen has logged off

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had actually been Nicky who had first taken to calling him Booker during their Sophomore year. By that point he'd already been running several heavy betting pools on campus - everything from school sporting events to who would be pregnant before graduation - but had not understood Andy’s joke about a 15 year-old bookie with his still somewhat limited English. Nicky, who spoke both English and French nearly as well as his native Italian, had found the intersection of his last name and his betting hilarious and Booker had stuck.

He’d pretended to hate the name in the early days, but in reality he took it as a sign that he’d been accepted into the tight knit group of friends. Two and a half years later, it was practically the only thing he would respond to anymore. That group of friends, who were really much more like family for him, was the reason that he was simultaneously dreading and looking forward to graduating and heading to college. On the plus side, it would mean getting the hell out of his uncle’s shit hole apartment and well away from said uncle. On the down side, he didn’t like to imagine how empty life would be without Andy, Quynh, Joe, Nicky, and Nile in it. 

The two thoughts had been eating away at him since Christmas, when the girls - knowing how terrible home life had been since his parents death - had dragged him from his bed on Christmas morning to join the others at Andy’s place for a teenagers only holiday celebration while her parents were somewhere in Europe. Even Nicky’s parents had let him join the fun for a few hours after morning Mass, though they likely would have reconsidered that if they’d known he’d spent the majority of that time practically in Joe’s lap through lunch and present opening. It was the best Christmas that he could remember since the car accident that had killed his parents and forced his move to the States.

He desperately didn’t want to leave these people behind. Even if it did mean freedom from his uncle.

It had been happening more frequently recently: the images of himself once again on his own, left behind like when his parents died, filling his mind. Not letting him sleep or be completely in any given moment. Sometimes it felt like he couldn’t even breathe, the mental pictures so stark and depressing, pausing him in whatever he was trying to do at the time.

Stopping his slow amble across campus, he unslung his backpack and reached in, his hand searching for a moment before it closed around the half full water bottle. The liquid that remained inside was itself only half water, the rest vodka raided that morning from his uncle’s liquor cabinet.

Booker was momentarily surprised that it was only just lunch time and he’s already gone through so much. He considered dropping it back in his bag, knowing that he really shouldn’t be drinking his way through his days. But the image surfaced again: a year from now, a lonely studio apartment, gods only knew how far away from his only friends, and himself alone in it. Shaking his head, trying to dislodge the thought, he unscrewed the bottle cap and took a deep swig. He sure as fuck wasn’t going to deal with those thoughts completely sober. Not if he could help it.

His mind already quieting at the feel of the white liquor burning down his throat, he recapped the bottle, chucked it back in his bag, and continued to make his way over to the table where Andy, Quynh, and Joe were eating lunch. 

Sliding onto the bench beside Joe, his backpack added to the pile beside them, Booker was quickly distracted from his moroseness of a few minutes previous. Joe greeted him with a smile and a “Hey, Book” as he pushed a wrapped sandwich his way, but the girls barely acknowledged his arrival, too caught up in their discussion to do more than give him half-hearted waves.

“I’m just saying,” Quynh sounded exasperated, “that while Erik the Red was undoubtedly a great ruler and explorer, he wasn’t in the same class as Genghis Khan. Khan would wipe the floor with him.”

Andy was shaking her head as she responded, “It’s not like Khan was personally out slaughtering his enemies. He led an army for that, just like Erik. You can’t base your argument for his personal fighting abilities on his ability to lead an army. They aren’t the same thing.”

Normally, Booker would have been content to sit and listen to them argue. They’re debates were almost always highly entertaining. But this one was a recurring disagreement and he’d heard all of their points numerous times. If they weren’t side tracked now, it would go through all of lunch and likely most of the afternoon break as well.

“Not to interrupt this highly critical discussion,” he said, sarcasm heavy in his tone, “but on a subject closer to the here and now: you’re all coming to the gig tonight, right? Black Cat, 8:30?”

The smile on Joe’s face slipped a bit as he responded, “I’d love to, but I’m grounded. Not allowed anywhere except school, the restaurant, and home. Good luck, though.”

“What are you grounded for?” Quynh asked, confusion evident.

Before Joe could respond, Andy spoke, “Is that for the incident with Brian?” He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but she continued before he could, “That was almost a month ago! And Copley gave you, what, one detention? Why are you still grounded?”

“It was two detentions, actually. And to hear my dad talk about it, you’d think I started World War III in the cafeteria or burned the school down.” He shrugged helplessly. There really wasn’t anything more to say, his parents were strict as hell when it came to getting in trouble and they all knew it. Nothing short of a miracle would get him to the club that night.

“That sucks.” Quynh summed it up in her usual blunt manner before shifting her focus back to Booker. She gestured between herself and Andy, “We’ll be there.”

Andy nodded in agreement, “Wouldn’t miss it.”

The conversation shifted to the Physics class that all shared after lunch and Booker tried once again to push his fears for the end of the school year aside. He failed miserably.

Who would come to watch him play once his friends had scattered off to college?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**10 Hours Later**

Andy was glad that her parents were once again out of town - Zurich this time, she was reasonably sure. Lax as they tended to be towards her behavior and her friends hanging around, she knew there was no way she’d have been able to adequately explain Quynh, Booker, and her entrance to the house that Friday night.

“Why the hell would you get yourself this wasted, Book?” she asked him as she half supported, half dragged him through the front door that Quynh was holding open for them.

The gig at the club had gone well and the band’s newest material had been well received by the decent crowd of mostly college students that had gathered that evening to watch them play. Booker’s one drum solo had been met with massive applause and she’d seen at least three girls chatting him up and giving him their phone numbers after the set had ended.

Quynh and she had hung around while the band loaded their gear, wanting to offer Booker a ride home as it was getting a bit late for his usual bus ride to be a pleasant one. They’d been shocked when he’d stumbled up to their table twenty minutes later, a beer in hand and reeking of something significantly stronger.

At first he’d been grinning like a fool, rambling slightly about the gig and the music, and it had been easy to cajole him into Andy’s car. He’d even laughed when he banged his head on the frame of the car while trying to get in. But as the ride to Andy’s place had gone on, he’d become quieter and quieter and his smile had dropped completely from his face. By the time they were struggling to get him back out of the car, he looked torn between bursting into tears or screaming bloody murder at them.

As Andy led him over to the couch - Quynh closing the door behind them and heading to the kitchen for some water - she became aware that Booker was mumbling something nearly incoherent under his breath. Pushing him gently down onto the couch, she took a seat beside him.

“I can’t hear you, Book. What was that?” She kept her voice low and gentle. She really had no idea what had come over him, but even as she wanted to chide him for being so stupid, she was worried about her friend.

“You’re all gonna leave.” His words were muffled, his head hanging down to his chest, and it took her a moment to parse what he was saying. She was about to respond when he continued. “Gonna leave. ‘M gonna be alone.”

“We’re not going anywhere, Book.” She shot a concerned look at Quynh, who had reentered with a tall glass of water in hand. “You just need to get some sleep. We’ll be right here when you wake up tomorrow.”

Quynh took a seat on his other side, setting the glass on the table in front of them and taking his hand instead. “Yeah, maybe we can make those crepes you like so much.”

Andy smiled broadly. Food always cheered Booker up, especially when Quynh and Nicky - the only two of the group that could really cook - made the foods he’d grown up with. The smile fell away, though, when he lifted his head and looked at her. 

Somewhere between the car and now, he’d started crying, tears tracing down his cheeks as he spoke again.

“Not now. You’ll leave later.” The confusion on her face must have registered and he seemed to be searching his mind for the right words to make her understand. “Université.”

The word registered with Quynh faster than Andy, “College? You’re worried about after graduation.” Her voice was soft, but Andy could hear the sorrow her girlfriend was trying to hold back.

“Oui. Vous partirez tous.” His tears were flowing heavier now.

“No.” Andy was close to tears as she began to understand what was bothering him, “No, Booker. We won’t leave. We’ll figure out a way to stay together. All of us.” She put her hand to his cheek and forced him to look at her as she continued, “I promise. We’ll find a way.”

“All?” The word came out stuttered, but she was glad to see a bit of hope returning to his eyes and his tears slowing.

“All.” Quynh and she spoke simultaneously. They shared a brief grin over his head before Andy went on.

“Me and Quynh. Joe and Nicky. Nile. You. We’re family. And we’ll stick together.”

He didn’t speak, but she took his nodding head as understanding.

Silently, over the next ten minutes, they managed to get him to drink most of the glass of water and then arrange him on his side on the sofa to sleep.

Not wanting to leave him to wake on his own, the girls shifted the coffee table out of the way and dragged the other sofa so that it was parallel to the one Booker slept on. Spooned up together facing their friend, they fell asleep as well.

The next morning, Andy would wake first. She’d use the opportunity to text Joe, Nicky, and Nile about the previous night. And by the time Booker woke an hour later, they’d all be there, ready to make crepes and figure out the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't going to be heavy Booker whump. Or heavy anyone whump, but I wanted to stay true to the character, I wanted to not ignore his issues. But in this his friends find out and help, so this won't be an ongoing major issue.


	3. Valentine's Dance

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

12:14pm: a.hernandez has logged in

12:14pm: j.stevens has logged in

12:18pm: m.miller has logged in

12:23pm: d.nguyen has logged in

12:27pm: m.durham has logged in

12:28pm: y.tanaka has logged in

**m.miller:** Are we allowed to bring outside dates to the Valentine’s dance?

**j.stevens:** What do you mean “outside” dates?

**m.miller:** Kids from other schools

**j.stevens:** I don’t know. We can for Prom, but the other dances? No idea.

**c.gomez:** Why?

**m.miller:** I was just curious.

**m.durham:** Oh, please. Joe Al-Kaysani turned her down. So she assumes that he must be dating someone from a different school. Maybe he’s just not interested in you, Megan.

12:39pm: d.nguyen has logged off

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe knew that he was grinning like an idiot as he made his way out of his last class of the day, but he couldn’t help it. It was a beautiful day - not common in mid-Februry, even in California - he had correctly predicted the pop quiz they’d had in Calc that morning, he’d finished an art project that he’d been working on since before the holidays - a pointillism version of Monet’s ‘The Water Lily Pond’ that Mr. Hwang, the art teacher, had thought he was nuts for doing, but that he wanted for his Juilliard application portfolio - and his grounding had finally been lifted by his parents. And, on top of everything else, the school day was now over which meant he was heading towards the drama building for the first rehearsal of his final high school show.

And what an awesome show to end on. He’d never even heard of “Arsenic and Old Lace” prior to the announcement that it would be the Spring show. But he’d fixed that quickly enough with a viewing party at his house - a concession that his parents had only made in his grounding when he pointed out that technically it was research for a school project. It had been a great night. Nile and Quynh sandwiching Booker on the couch, Andy - incapable of settling in one position - on the floor next to him, his back against the couch in front of Nile, and Nicky sitting between his legs, lying back against his chest, as they watched Cary Grant’s character become increasingly unhinged as the events of the story unfolded.

Now he was really looking forward to his own go at the character of Mortimer Brewster. Plus, all the time working on a show would give him extra time each day with Nicky. And, as far as he was concerned, there was no such thing as enough time around Nicky. As he headed up the ramp to the drama room, he briefly wondered if there would ever come a time when he didn’t feel that way. He hoped not. 

As he stepped through the doorway, he took a moment to admire the creativity of whoever had decided to use a rolled up blue book essay booklet as a doorstop. He hadn’t seen that before.

Despite it only being the first rehearsal, the room was a mass of activity. Throughout the audience seating area, various members of the cast gathered to discuss scenes and characters. In one corner, Mr. Ballin, the drama teacher, and Nile were hunched over a set of drawings that Joe suspected were set designs. For as much as Nile claimed not to be an artistic person, he knew better. Her set designs were marvels - her three level use of the amphitheater for last spring’s Hairspray was incredible - and he looked forward to seeing what she could do for this show. A few of the crew kids were pulling out a variety of props that could be useful in the early days of rehearsal, before they had a real handle on what was needed, and others were rifling through boxes of costumes for prospective pieces.

And there, in the tech booth at the back of house, was Nicky. He appeared to be setting up the computer and light board, but he looked up from his work as though sensing Joe’s arrival and gave him a warm smile. Joe’s grin widened in return.

Dropping his bag in the first row of seating, he paused only long enough to pull out his script and lunch - he’d been more interested in the finishing touches on his painting than in eating earlier - before heading to the back, waving or nodding pleasantly at those he passed. As he stepped through a gap in the low wall that separated the booth from the rest of the theater, he was unsurprised to find Nicky had shifted to sitting cross legged on the floor as he sorted through wires, pausing occasionally to check his laptop screen and mutter under his breath. A quick glance around confirmed that they were alone and Joe dropped his meal and script on a nearby chair before sinking down next to his boyfriend.

Nicky abandoned his rewiring as he felt Joe settle next to him, his frustration gone at the feel of Joe’s hand settling on his leg. Glad for the few moments of peace before the chaos of rehearsal began, he raised his hand to Joe's cheek, his heart soaring when the other boy leaned into the touch before shifting forward to bring their lips together. The kiss was short, but intense. The kind of kiss that never failed to remind him how lucky he was to have Joe in his life.

As much as Nicky would have gladly stayed locked to Joe’s lips forever, he was very aware of both their surroundings and the job at hand. With a light hand on his chest, he pushed Joe back before the kiss could become something more serious, a grin still etched across his face as he gestured at the confusion of wires around them. Joe’s over the top comedic pout in response drew a burst of laughter out of him, which only ended when the other boy swooped in to steal another short kiss from his lips before moving a short distance away.

As he continued to try to figure out why the light board and computer weren’t talking to each other and Joe ate his delayed lunch, the two discussed moments in the play that might make for significant lighting challenges. Nicky had run the lighting board for numerous productions during the last three and a half years, but this would be the first time that Mr. Ballin was allowing him to do the entirety of the lighting design himself. And while Nicky was confident that he could do it, he was glad to have Joe to bounce ideas around with and to confess his nervousness to.

“It’s going to be great.” Joe’s tone allowed no disagreement and Nicky rolled his eyes just as the call for the start of rehearsal came from the stage.

Shifting slightly to stand, Joe leaned in to press a gentle kiss to the side of Nicky’s head. “You are going to be great.”

Nicky answered his soft smile with one of his own and then watched him move back out of the booth. It faded a bit as he glanced back down at the still misbehaving computer and board. “It’s going to be great” he reminded himself as he bent once again to the problem.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two hours later, Nicky was on the verge of chucking the entire laptop in the trash. He had managed, after 45 minutes of rewiringing and labelling every cable under the desk, to find the correct arrangement of things to make the ancient light board talk to the laptop. He’d taken a long break away from the electronics after that, choosing to help Nile with possible built-in lighting options on her set design instead - her idea for lighting through the cellar door from behind was genius - and had nearly forgotten his earlier frustrations by the time he returned to the booth.

But they had come back hard. For the last 30 minutes, he’d been carefully checking that each actual instrument was connecting to the computer with the correct naming and for the last 20 of those he’d been wanting to destroy the damn machine.

“Stop telling me Instrument 22 isn’t there, you stupid piece of crap.” He growled at the screen in front of him, “It’s right there, I can see it.” He gestured vaguely at the light in question, just visible on the last electric to his left.

He was just about to do yet another system reboot when a voice interrupted his jagged thoughts.

“Hey, you okay?”

It was amazing how easily just hearing Joe speak could calm him down. Looking up from his screen, he took in the other boy as he leaned forward against the wall in front of Nicky, just out of arm’s reach. Joe was smiling slightly, but Nicky could read the concern on his face.

“Sort of.” He tried to return the smile, but it came off as more of a grimace, “It’s this stupid computer. I finally got all the wiring sorted out, but now it just keeps telling me that Instruments 22, 29, and 30 aren’t there.”

He took a deep breath to keep the frustration from eating him whole and continued, “29 and 30 are fine. Those are the spots. They’re still in the utility closet so that’s accurate. But Instrument 22 is right there.” He gestured once again to the light in question. “And I can’t figure out what it’s problem is.”

“Um.” Joe hesitated for a short moment before continuing, pointing at the light as he did, “It’s unplugged.”

Nicky looked at him incredulously for a long moment before standing and leaning over the table, his face nearly against Joe’s, and looked up. Sure enough, just out of his field of sight while sitting, he could make out the light’s cable hanging useless. Sitting back in his seat he leaned forward to rest his head against the table.

“I’m such an idiot.”

“You really aren’t.” Joe responded, a laugh in his voice. Wasn’t he supposed to be the dramatic one? Reaching over the wall, he rested a hand briefly on the back of Nicky’s head, “You were just overthinking things. I’ll take care of it.”

Nicky instantly missed the feel of Joe’s hand on his scalp, but lifted his head to watch as the other boy stepped briefly into the booth to grab a ladder and then go fix the problem, returning the ladder to its place just a few minutes later. A quick refresh of the software showed the instrument listed as functional right along with the others.

He mumbled a thank you as Joe took the chair next to him and only then realized that rehearsal seemed to be over. The students at the front of the room were packing up their gear and many were already heading out the door.

“Good rehearsal?” He asked, a smile once again back on his face. With anyone else, he’d have been embarrassed for a week about missing something so obvious, but with Joe he never felt like making a mistake was something that was ever going to be used against him.

Joe leaned back in his chair, his arms stretching up and then settling behind his head, and smiled broadly back at him.

“Yeah, not bad for a first day. We’re definitely going to need a lighter dummy though. Mike didn’t struggle with it at all, but Jose is so much smaller than him and can’t quite handle it.”

Nicky was about to comment that it might add to the comedy if their Einstein had to struggle with the corpse, but was stopped by the arrival of Susan Mahoney, who he thought was playing one of the aunts though he couldn’t be completely sure. He’d been so focused on his conversation with Joe, that he hadn't even noticed her moving toward the booth, let alone stepping inside. Joe seemed equally surprised when she started speaking, but turned to face her, his broad grin dropping to a polite smile as he did. 

“Hey Joe.” After a brief pause she included him as well, “Nicky.”

There was a short period of silence while they waited for her to continue.

“Good rehearsal, huh?” Joe doubted this was really what she wanted to talk to him about, so he just nodded his head and waited. “Right, um… so the Valentine’s Dance is Saturday.” 

She paused again, expecting a response. When all she got was a shrug and another nod, she pushed on, “I was wondering if you might like to go with me. To the dance.”

A pink blush colored her cheeks as she spoke and Nicky would have found the entire situation funny if it had been anyone else’s boyfriend she was asking out. Not that he doubted for a second that Joe would say no, but that didn’t make it any less pleasant. Joe responded quickly, his voice gentle as he shook his head.

“No thank you, Susan. You’re pretty cool and everything, but I’m just not interested.” He gave her a soft smile, his hope that there would be no hard feelings evident in his expression. Trying to soften the blow even further, he continued, “You should ask out Jason, he’s had a crush on you for ages.” He gestured back towards the stage where another boy was trying, and failing, to pretend that he wasn’t watching them as they talked.

Susan seemed surprised by this information, but after a long moment of consideration a smile formed on her face.

“Okay, well thanks.” Without waiting for a response she left the booth.

Nicky and Joe didn’t bother watching her go. Turning back to each other, Joe gave him a reassuring smile which Nicky returned, his expression clearly telling Joe that it was fine.

“She’s the third one to ask me today.” He sighed heavily as he kept his eyes locked on Nicky’s, “I just want to go with you.”

Nicky felt a light blush heat his cheeks, both from Joe’s words and the obvious affection and longing in his eyes. He looked away, knowing that as much as he didn’t want to, he was going to disappoint Joe.

“I want that, too. But you know my parents would never be okay with us.” His heart ached at having to say the words out loud and he stared at the table top rather than look at him while he spoke.

Joe hated seeing Nicky so cut up about the situation. He’d known since they’d met and become friends that Nicky’s parents were unlikely to ever be okay with the reality of his sexuality and he’d never once considered that to be Nicky’s fault. He hated seeing his boyfriend look so glum and worried.

A quick glance around the room showed him that other than Mr. Ballin and Nile, everyone else had left. Glad for the bit of privacy, he turned in his chair to fully face Nicky, one hand on his leg and the other softly brushing his cheek as he spoke.

“I know and that’s fine.” He was pleased when Nicky finally looked at him, though he didn’t like the disbelief on his face, “As much as I would like to show off how much we love each other to the whole world, I know that it’s not a good time for that. I love you. No matter what. And certainly regardless of whether we can go to a stupid dance or not.”

“I love you, too.” Nicky’s voice was a soft whisper, but Joe heard regardless, the brilliant smile that always graced his features when he heard Nicky say those words shining as he leaned in to kiss him softly. Pulling back just a bit, he responded.

“And that’s all that matters.” Seeing Nicky’s smile start to match his own, he leaned in for a deeper kiss, his hand wrapping behind his neck as he opened his mouth to let his tongue tangle all too briefly with Nicky’s.

Pulling back, he was about to speak again when Nicky did first.

“Prom is only a few months away though. We could go to that.”

The shock must have been visible on Joe’s face, because Nicky continued with a chuckle.

“I’ll be 18 just before that and all the college apps and acceptances will be done. It won’t matter anymore what my parents think at that point. And I want at least one school memory with you where we don’t have to hide.”

Joe nodded happily at that and was about to lean in for another kiss when Nile’s voice interrupted them, reminding them that the school day was done and rehearsal was done and it was time to head home.

Gathering his things together, Joe’s grin stretched across his whole face. And, to think, coming into rehearsal he hadn’t thought this day could get any better.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

**m.miller:** I’m just saying, there’s that girl’s private school near his parent’s restaurant. I bet tons of them go in there. He’s probably seeing one of them

**a.hernandez:** And we’re just saying: none of us care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My high school drama teacher was Mr. Ballin and he was an awesome teacher and a great human being, so I always told myself that if there was a drama teacher in one of my stories that’s who they would be. Never had the chance before now, so this is great.
> 
> Also, if you’ve never seen Arsenic and Old Lace, I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s a great movie/play.


	4. Water Polo

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

3:21pm: a.hernandez has logged in

3:24pm: j.stevens has logged in

3:30pm: d.nguyen has logged in

3:37pm: m.agarwal has logged in

**m.agarwal:** Water Polo Team photos came out well. Thanks for helping wrangling your teammates, Jack.

**j.stevens:** No prob. Everyone tends to be a bit rowdy at the start of the season. 

**m.agarwal:** Even with the rowdy, those will still be easier than dealing with next week’s shoots.

**j.stevens:** ??? What’s next week?

**d.nguyen:** The ‘Most Likely’ Votes are in. There are always a few unhappy people when they find out they didn’t make the list. Which they figure out as soon as we start the photo shoots.

**a.hernandez:** Yeah, there are a few, but really there’s rarely too much surprise in those votes.

**m.agarwal:** There’s a bit this year: Most Likely to Still be Together in 20 Years: Andy and Quynh.

**d.nguyen:** When did that become a category?

**m.agarwal** : Write In. One of the cheerleaders trying to prove something to her boyfriend is in for a hell of a shock

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second quarter of the first Women’s Water Polo match of the season was just getting underway by the time Nile was able to slide onto a bleacher next to Nicky and Andy. It had been a hell of a long day, full of minor annoyances and one major issue. She was glad it was over and was enthusiastically looking forward to loudly cheering on Quynh and the rest of the team.

Settling in, she returned Andy’s distracted ‘hey’ and Nicky’s wave before trying to immerse herself in the game. It wasn’t easy. While she was interested in the match in front of her, the crappier parts of the day just kept replaying themselves in her mind, making it difficult to concentrate.

It didn't take long for Nicky to say something. 

"Hey, you seem a bit out of it. Everything okay?" She could hear the genuine concern in his voice. His kind heart was one of the things she adored about Nicky. She briefly considered shrugging it off, but knew from experience he was unlikely to let up. 

"Uh, yeah. It's just been kind of a shit afternoon."

Shifting a little closer to her on the bench, he threw his arm over her shoulders. "Anything I can do?"

She grinned at his words, her first real smile since lunchtime, and shook her head as she started to respond.

"No, not unless-" she broke off to join the crowd cheering as Quynh scored over the head of the opposing goalkeeper. As play resumed, Nicky turned his attention back to her and she started again, "Not unless you’re willing to rewrite my English paper for me."

He looked confused. "The one you showed me your draft of last week?" She nodded with a frown. "Why would you need to rewrite it? What you showed me seemed really good."

"Maybe, but it was pretty clear from his lecture today, that Mr. Shrams does not agree with my take on Don Quixote. I can’t have an entire major paper devoted to contradicting the teacher."

Nile half expected Andy, who'd had Shrams for English two years in a row, to join the conversation, but her focus seemed entirely on the game. It was a bit odd, Andy usually was the first to voice her opinion on a teacher, but before Nile could really begin to question it, Nicky was responding.

"Why not?" He shrugged and then gave her a large grin, "He won't care. I had him last year and as long as you have good support for your opinion he doesn't care if you agree with him." He gave a short chuckle. "I think he actually likes when students don't agree. Gives him something different to read from everyone regurgitating his own words back at him. Right, Andy?"

"Hmm?" Andy turned briefly to look at them, obviously unaware of what they'd been discussing.

"Nevermind." Nicky said in a slow drawl as he turned to share a confused look with Nile, as the girl’s attention returned to the pool in front of them. 

As much as they knew Andy was invested in Quynh and the match, she was normally extremely tuned in to everything that was happening around her. Often annoyingly so. To be so unaware of a conversation happening right next to her was bizarre.

Nile was just about to say something about it, her mouth open and her hand raised to tap Andy on the shoulder, but was brought up short as the crowd around her groaned loudly as their goalkeeper failed to block the other team’s shot. She cast a questioning glance at Nicky, who gestured at his watch and then the scoreboard. Nile nodded her agreement. They would deal with whatever was up with Andy at half-time. Answering her nod with one of his own, he cast another worried look over at Andy before continuing his conversation with Nile.

“Seriously, though, Shrams will be fine with you disagreeing with him.” He dropped his arm from around her shoulder to grab the can of soda he had setting between his feet. “And if you are really worried about it, have him do a proof read of what you currently have. He’ll let you know if he has issues.”

“Yeah.” She nodded her head with a smile, “Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks, Nicky.”

He gave her a shrug and a grin, his expression clearly saying there was no need to thank him. Her mood vastly improved by both his advice and his friendship, she ducked in closer to plant a kiss on his cheek. His confusion and the slight blush coloring his face caused her to laugh out loud as she turned her attention back to the game in front of her.

Eight minutes later, as the second quarter came to an end, their own Knights up by just one goal, Nile’s concern about Andy had only increased. 

The other girl was usually the loudest voice in the crowd at every match, her shouts rising well about the general noise of the match. Today, she barely seemed present, cheering along with the crowd, but usually a few seconds behind their initial reaction and quieting quickly. She had exchanged a few looks with Nicky that said he was seeing the same abnormal behavior.

The whistle had barely blown the end of the quarter before Nicky was reaching out to lay a hand on Andy’s shoulder, his expression full of both concern and resolve. For a moment it looked like she might try to brush him off, but when she caught a similar look on Nile’s face all the fight seemed to go out of her.

“What’s going on, Andy?” Nicky’s voice was gentle and persuasive.

She shook her head and was opening her mouth, obviously ready to disagree, when Nile stopped her.

“And don’t say nothing. We know you. Something is wrong.” She stared Andy down for a long moment before continuing, “Are you going to tell us now or do we need to get Joe and Booker involved?”

Andy huffed out an annoyed breath. For a moment it seemed like Nile would need to follow through on her threat, but then the other girl started talking.

“There’s nothing you’re going to be able to do to help.”

“Maybe not,” Nicky said with a shrug, “but how about we find out for sure.” His hand still hadn’t left her shoulder and he squeezed gently in encouragement.

“Quynh’s parents are talking about moving back to Vietnam.” She drew in a shaky breath before continuing. “Before the end of the school year.”

Nile winced at the news and Nicky immediately pulled Andy against him for a hug. For long moments they were all silent as Nile tried to process the information. 

Andy without Quynh. The very idea just seemed wrong. The two of them had been together for almost five years and inseparable friends since well before that. She couldn’t even really picture them apart for any length of time. She wasn’t naive. She knew that most high school relationships didn’t last, but despite that, there had never been a time in the three years since she’d met them that she had doubted that Andy and Quynh would make it long term.

She was still trying to come up with anything useful to say when Nicky broke the hug and spoke.

“Okay, well that would suck, but you said they’re talking about it, right?” Andy nodded. “So nothing’s been decided yet?”

Andy shrugged and nodded again.

“So it might not happen at all.” He gave her a small lopsided grin. “You might be worrying yourself sick over nothing.”

“Maybe.” Andy conceded grudgingly. “But if it does..”

She trailed off and Nile could see tears starting to form in her eyes. The realization of just how upset Andy really was - because Andy never cried - spurred Nile’s brain into action.

“And if it does,” She said, ducking her head a bit so she could look the other girl in the eye, “then it won’t be forever.”

Andy opened her mouth to argue, but Nile pushed on.

“You two have already been accepted to, what, three of the same colleges?” She paused briefly until Andy nodded acknowledgement, “Two of which she has scholarships for, so she won’t even need her parents help to pay for it. And,” she took a breath before finishing with what she hoped was an encouraging smile, “she’ll be 18 before the school year ends. So even if they do move, it will not be forever.”

For a long moment, it seemed like Andy might disagree with her assessment, but, as she looked between Nile’s smile and Nicky’s nodding head, a small grin appeared on her face. Reaching up, she wiped away the tears that hadn’t quite gotten the opportunity to fall and took several deep breaths.

“You’re right.” Her tone was almost reluctant and Nile wanted to laugh at her stubbornness, but was stopped by the gratitude clearly written on her features. “You’re right. I’ve been spinning myself in circles for three days - Quynh, too - and that never really occurred to me.”

“It’ll still suck.” Nicky’s voice was low and pained, no doubt imagining a similar situation with Joe, but his face held a hopeful expression, “But it wouldn’t be forever.”

Andy nodded, her smile broadening as she looked at them. “Yeah. Not forever.” She paused a long moment and then continued, “Thank you both.”

Nicky leaned in for another hug as he spoke, “We’re always here for you, Andy. Just like you are for us.” He cupped her cheek and looked her square in the eye. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She reached out to give Nile’s hand a brief squeeze and looked like she was going to say more, but was stopped by the whistle blowing, signalling the start of the third quarter. She mouthed another thank you at them both and then turned back to the game.

Moments later, as Quynh scored another goal, Andy’s voice rose above the crowd, cheering loudly at her girlfriend’s success. Nicky gave Nile a broad grin at the proof that they’d helped their friend and then they both joined the cheering.

As soon as the game came to an end, 20 minutes later, Andy was off the bleacher and headed toward the team. Quynh had barely pulled herself out of the pool when Andy wrapped her in a tight hug, completely uncaring of the fact that her clothes were getting soaked. Quynh pulled back just enough to look at the smile on Andy’s face and then, completely ignoring the exasperated look on her coach’s face, kissed her soundly.

Still seated in the bleachers, Nile and Nicky shared a grin. They’d get through it. One way or another.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

**m.agarwal:** And we still have to figure out how to handle the three way tie for ‘Most Likely to Succeed’

**j.stevens:** Yeah, Mark is not going to handle those results well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) I know very little about water polo, which is why there is no actual description of play. But it’s played in quarters, seven minutes of playing time each (ends up being about 12 minutes of time with clock stops, etc.), with a two minute break in between each quarter. I’m flubbing that timing a bit here to give a long break after the second quarter. Let’s just say that for high school games they give the players more down time between.
> 
> 2) Given the popularity of the theater story line in the last segment, I am considering doing a spin-off story after I finish this that is a deep dive into the show. I’m also considering following them to college in an additional story as well. Any thoughts on if people would be interested in reading those would be appreciated.


	5. Unwanted Attention

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

8:03am: y.tanaka has logged in

8:07am: d.nguyen has logged in

8:12am: m.agarwal has logged in

8:13am: m.durham has logged in

8:13am: c.gomez has logged in

**m.agarwal:** Nicky didn’t show up for the last round of make-up photos.

**d.nguyen:** Again.

**c.gomez:** Who?

**m.agarwal:** Seriously?

**d.nguyen:** Theater kid. Constantly in a hoodie.

**c.gomez:** Oh, yeah. He’s cute. Weird, but cute.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay, everyone. Weekend’s homework is to finish reading Chapter 18 and a summary of the full chapter for Monday.” Mr. Jackson’s announcement was met with scattered groans around the classroom. He ignored them and continued, “Next week we will start on Chapter 19 - DNA and will be particularly focusing on the discovery of its structure by Watson and Crick.”

Nicky’s hand was up before he'd completed the sentence and a look of exasperation and frustration painted the teacher’s features in response. Even in the far back of the room Quynh could hear Jackson’s sigh of long suffering. She could barely contain her laughter and several other students didn't even try.

For a long moment it seemed like Mr. Jackson might just ignore Nicky’s hand; wait him out until the bell, which should ring shortly. But when it came right down to it, Jackson was a decent teacher and Quynh could practically see the second when he decided that calling on Nicky was an obligation and raised his hand to point at him with a nod. What if he had a legitimate question about the homework?

He didn’t.

“Don’t you mean Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of its structure?” The regret on Jackson’s face was immediate, but Nicky continued as though he hadn't noticed it. “It was her and Raymond Gosling’s Photograph 51 that provided the critical evidence for what would become the double helix structure. A photograph that Watson and Crick obtained without her permission.”

There really wasn’t any answer that Jackson could give without getting into an explanation of the level of misogyny present in their studies in general and their current textbook in particular. He’s saved from having to by the bell’s shrill tone.

As the students around them pack up, their teacher’s weary voice could be heard over the general noise.

“Mr. di Genova, please hang back a moment.”

Quynh packed up her stuff, but loitered inside the classroom door as the rest of their classmates headed to lunch. When the room was finally clear of all but the three of them, Jackson spoke again.

“Ms. Ngo, you may head out now.”

Nicky and she shared a brief smile before she responded, “Actually I think I’ll stick around. I’m sure that there isn’t anything that you were going to say to Nicky that another student can’t hear.” Her voice was bright, but just slightly condescending. She continued before he could speak, “I mean, as long as that’s okay with Nicky.”

The look of pain that crossed Jackson’s face would make one think she’s guilty of stabbing him rather than a mild bit of insubordination. For a moment, Quynh thought he might try again to get her out of the room, but he just shook his head and muttered under his breath.

“Fine.” He turned away from her to where Nicky was still seated, his items packed up and his hands folded over the top of the desk. “Mr. di Genova, as we have discussed before your tendency towards correcting me and the textbook at every opportunity needs to stop. You are undermining my teaching and you are confusing your classmates.”

Nicky’s brow furrowed slightly, “I don’t think that I’m confusing anyone. I’m not dropping the secrets of the universe on them, just correcting a serious error of information in the textbook and your lecture.” He paused briefly, but continued before Jackson could get a word in. “And I wouldn’t have to correct anything if you and the textbook would stop dropping women’s achievement’s from the conversation.”

“The accuracy of what you were saying is not the issue, Mr. di Genova. The issue is-”

Nicky cut him off before he could continue. “This is a school and you are a teacher. And unless I’m seriously mistaken, your job is to teach us things. So how about starting with the fact that our textbook - and academia in general - has glossed over or deleted the contributions of women, people of color, and, you know, basically anyone that’s even the slightest bit different.”

He stood from his desk, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as he did.

“As for undermining your teaching: I have never once been rude or disrespectful to you in class. I have never spoken without being called on. And I have never given an opinion that I couldn’t back with facts or a fact that I wasn’t completely sure of. So I really don’t see how I’m undermining anything that doesn’t need to be undermined.” 

He took several steps toward the door.

“If that’s all, Mr. Jackson, Quynh and I would like to head to lunch.”

For a long moment it seemed that Jackson would disagree, anger flaring briefly on his features. But as quickly as it was there it was gone and he was gesturing them out of his classroom.

As soon as they were out the door, Quynh turned and hugged him. When she pulled back, she let out a chuckle at the confused look on his face. Banging her shoulder against his, she continued walking, answering his unasked question as they went.

“Thank you for being a feminist, Nicky. I, and every other girl in there with half a clue of how the world works, definitely appreciate it.”

Still looking a bit confused, he grinned and shrugged, falling into step with her as they made their way towards the cafeteria, discussing the partner project they had been assigned earlier in the week. They had both been glad to be able to pick their own partner for this one, allowing them to work together. Quynh’s assigned partner for the last project hadn’t spoken to her once during the course of the project and then hadn’t even shown up for their presentation day. She was glad to be working with Nicky on this one.

“Do you want to get a start this weekend?” She asked as they came around a corner.

Nicky was nodding and about to speak, when an unfamiliar voice broke into their conversation.

“Hi, Nicky!”

Turning his head slightly, he took in the speaker, a blonde girl, smiling brightly at him, that he thought might be in his Government class. She definitely wasn’t someone he’d ever exchanged so much as a ‘can I borrow a pen’ with. Not slowing his steps, he nodded vaguely in her direction before turning his attention back to Quynh. Her expression matched his own confusion and he shrugged helplessly.

“Well, she’s cute.” Quynh said with a smile before returning to their earlier conversation. “So, I think it’s probably best to write the paper first, you know, before building out the presentation. What do you think?”

Nodding, he stepped slightly ahead of her to pull open the cafeteria door, “Yeah, then we can just take lines directly from the paper for the presentation. No double work.”

It took only a moment looking around the room to spot Booker alone at a table along one wall. Gesturing towards him to make sure that she had also seen him, the two split up, Quynh toward the line to buy lunch, Nicky toward Booker. Sliding on to the bench opposite his friend, he pulled his brown bag lunch from his backpack.

Without greeting or preamble, Booker addressed him, “So, you’re going to help me understand this matrix crap, right?”

Nicky barked out a short laugh, nodding as he did. Booker and he were in the same math class. Usually they both did fine, but not always. Booker had taken to the trig earlier in the year much faster than Nicky had, but it had been obvious from his face during class today, that matrices were not going to be his strong suit.

“Sure, of course.”

“Merci, mon ami.” His tone was sincere and the relief on his face was palpable. “It just seemed like she was talking gibberish. And what the hell-” He broke off as another boy sat down next to Nicky at the table.

“Hey Nicky.” The new boy said shyly, “The show really is coming along, huh?”

It took Nicky a long moment to place the other boy, but eventually remembered him working with Nile on the set build for Arsenic over the last week. Still unsure why he was talking to him now, Nicky shrugged.

“Uh, yeah, I suppose.”

The other boy, who Nicky thought was Mike, or was it Michael, seemed like he was waiting for him to say more, but when Nicky remained silent, he pushed on.

“So, the new James Bond movie looks pretty cool, right?”

Suddenly realizing where this conversation was heading, Nicky did his best to seem uncaring as he responded, “I suppose. I haven’t really seen much about it.”

Mike didn’t seem to notice his indifference, “Would you like to go see it?” 

The hope on his face was almost comical, but Nicky kept his face straight, summoning every bit of cluelessness he could, “Oh, is the crew doing a group thing?” He didn’t allow the other boy the negation he knew was coming, “I’m really not interested, but you all have fun.”

Trying not to be too abruptly dismissive, he turned back to Booker, picking up their earlier conversation, “It wasn’t gibberish. I think Mrs. Ivanov was just excited and got a little ahead of herself.” He was glad when the other boy mumbled a goodbye and left. Nicky waited until he was truly gone before shifting his sandwich out of the way so he could rest his forehead on the table with a sigh.

“You do know that he was asking you out, right?” Booker’s voice questioned.

“Who did?” The table shook slightly as Quynh sat down.

“Some kid from the theater crew, I think. I didn’t really recognize him.”

“Hmm, that’s been happening a lot lately hasn’t it?”

Nicky sat up to look at them, choosing to ignore the gleeful looks on their faces, and instead answering the questions. “Yes, I know he was asking me out, but as long as he doesn’t know I know that, I can say no without anyone making a scene. And yes, it seems to be a bit more common lately, as you are both well aware.” He tried to glare at them, but knew that it was weak at best.

Booker laughed out loud, “Well, there are worse things in the world.”

“If you say so.” Nicky sighed, “It’s not like I’m doing anything to encourage it.”

“Doesn’t seem to matter.” Quynh at least had the grace to be attempting to hide her huge grin.

“Yeah,” Nicky had rather resigned himself to it, “Joe thinks it’s the 6 inches I picked up over the last year.”

“Hmm,” Quynh responded, “Andy thinks it’s the earrings you picked up a month ago.” She gestured to the small silver hoop he wore in each ear.

Booker added his two cents, “The rumor that you picked up a tattoo at the same time as the earrings might also play a part.”

“What?” Nicky’s voice joined Quynh as they asked the question simultaneously. This was news.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

8:17am: a.thompson has logged in

8:21am: j.stevens has logged in

**d.nguyen:** We go through this every year. He never gets his photo taken.

**m.durham:** Yeah, even in the theater shots he’s always either absent or hides behind someone.

**c.gomez:** Why?

**d.nguyen:** No idea. Just do what we do every year: No Photo Available.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) One of our theater techs at my HS literally never showed up for any yearbook photos, whether they were individual or group. There was a lot of “no picture available” and “not pictured: name”. So that’s what that is based on.
> 
> 2) So sorry for the late delivery on this update. I had a major migraine Sunday and a massive acid reflux attack yesterday, neither of which builds a good mood for editing.
> 
> 3) Yes, I am aware that it’s unlikely that a 16/17 year old would pick up that much height in such a short period of time, but it does occasionally happen, so we’re going with late bloomer Nicky. Which is really adorable if you consider Joe getting his growth spurt early in HS and them having a height difference for a year or two of dating.


	6. Invites

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

12:13pm: m.durham has logged in

12:14pm: j.stevens has logged in

12:21pm: c.gomez has logged in

**c.gomez:** Isn’t it weird to think that just two months from now we’ll be done with high school?

**m.durham:** You say weird. I say awesome.

**c.gomez:** You won’t miss anything about it?

**j.stevens:** There are a few things I will, but for the most part I’m just looking forward to getting out of here.

**m.durham:** I’m not going to miss anything about this place.

**c.gomez:** Oh, really? Not even being Class President?

**m.durham:** Nope.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Geez, Nicky! How many of these do you have?” Nile groaned as he set down the boxes he was carrying.

They were all congregated around the huge dining room at Andy’s house. The task hadn’t seemed that daunting when they originally discussed it at school the previous day, but now, looking at the massive amount of work in front of them, it seemed nearly impossible.

“My mother insisted on one for every member of the family over 18, so,” he sighed, not wanting to actually say the number out loud, but knowing it was pointless to pretend, “trecento.”

“Three hundred!?!” Booker’s disbelief was mirrored on the others faces as well. “Shit.”

Andy surveyed the boxes for a long moment before she turned to Joe. She almost didn’t want to ask and her tone was wary as she asked, “Joe? How many?”

“Just 21 from me, for this round, the rest can wait a month.” He turned to Quynh, a slight grimace on his face. “Quynh?”

“38. It’d be more, but my mom agreed that if my dad wanted to send ones to his diplomat colleagues, his assistant could do those.” They all looked relieved at that news and were smiling by the time she finished her next statement, “I just hope all of them send money instead of actually showing up.”

“It still seems insane to me,” Nile spoke as she flipped through the multiple pages of addresses sitting on top of Nicky’s boxes, “that you have to send grad invites this early.”

“Just the overseas ones. Everything else waits.” Joe clarified with a shrug.

“And you don’t have to help me with all of mine.” Nicky said, ducking his head as a slight flush of embarrassment spread on his cheeks, “I know it’s too many.”

Joe opened his mouth to dispute the idea, but Andy beat him to it.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Nicky, of course we’ll help with all of them.” She stood long enough to give him a brief sideways hug. “You’d do the same for any of us.”

Her statement was echoed by the others and it wasn’t long before he was smiling again. “Grazie.”

“So, what’s the plan, boss?”

Andy had never figured out why Joe had taken to calling her that. She’d asked once and his only response had been a half shrug and a ‘Feels right.’ She’d stopped asking, though it hadn’t stopped confusing her.

She considered the situation for a few moments before speaking.

“Well, I think the first step is snacks. Lots of snacks.” This drew smiles and laughter from them all and she could practically see the mental inventory of the kitchen that Quynh was doing. “Then we take it one list a time. Starting with Joe’s, then Quynh’s, and then maybe taking a long break before tackling Nicky’s crazy big Catholic family.”

She was silent for a long moment as she considered best approaches to the invites as the others shifted Nicky’s boxes and list to the sideboard and pushed Quynh’s aside as well. Nile’s voice broke through the shuffling.

“What about you, Booker?”

He looked confused at the question and she elaborated.

“You’re French. Shouldn’t you be sending invites to France?”

A momentary flash of sadness covered his features, but he covered it quickly with a grin. “Nope. No family except my shithead uncle. If there was, I definitely wouldn’t be living with him.”

For a long moment they were all silent, not knowing how to respond. Then Joe’s voice broke the silence.

“Well, that’s not true.” Everyone looked at him, confused. “You have us. We’re family.”

It was obvious Booker had no idea how to respond, sitting still as a statue staring at Joe. Andy thought that there might be tears forming in his eyes, but before she could be sure, Nile was jumping up from her seat, dashing around to Booker and wrapping him in a tight hug. Joe followed suit, tugging Nicky along behind him, and soon they were all dogpiled around Booker, who was laughing despite trying to look annoyed.

“Get off me, you crazy people.” He tried to shove them away, but was failing. “Vous avez tous perdu la tête.”

Eventually, they let up, slowly returning to their chairs, everyone still grinning madly.

Booker tried to act like nothing had happened. “So, Joe’s first, right?”

Andy shook her head at his ridiculous stubbornness, but went along with his conversation shift. “Yeah.” She considered a moment longer before continuing. “Booker, Joe, and Nile have the best handwriting, so they should probably write addresses out - just divide the list up so you aren’t repeating any. I’ll fold the invites and Quynh and Nicky can stuff envelopes.” She glanced around to see if anyone seemed to have a problem with that process. When no one objected, she continued, “We should probably wait on sealing them until we have all of them done, just in case. And we can swap around jobs if anyone needs to at any point.”

Everyone nodded their agreement except Quynh. Andy's questioning look was answered immediately.

“But snacks first? Right?”

Andy laughed loudly at that and nodded, “Yes, snacks first.”

After 15 minutes raiding the kitchen and another 10 rearranging themselves around the table, they got to work, chatting about everything and nothing as they did. It didn’t take long with all six of them working together to get Joe’s invites finished and packed away for him to stamp and send later. He took a moment to go around the table, like a bizarre game of duck, duck, goose, giving them each a thank you and a kiss to the cheek. Even Booker allowed it, suggesting he was more thankful for Joe’s earlier comments than he had previously let on.

Quynh’s invites took longer, both because there were more to do, but also because Quynh chose to regale them with a story about her Uncle Long’s attempts to convince her and her cousins that the family dog was a reincarnation of their great-grandmother.

“He managed to convince my youngest cousin.” Tears of laughter trailing down her face as she stuffed another invite into its envelope. “She was about 6 and you’d walk into a room and find her telling this shaggy mongrel about her day or complaining that her brother had been mean to her.”

Their laughter resounded through the house as she finished the tale. As Andy looked around at the group, laughing and working, she realized just how true Joe’s earlier comment had been. They were family and she couldn’t imagine a time in her life when she wouldn’t want them around.

As they stuffed the final envelope of Quynh’s invites, she followed Joe’s earlier example, circling the table to give each of them a hug and kiss on the cheek. When she got to Andy, she forgoed the hug in favor of a long, wet kiss. As Andy sunk into the kiss, she could hear the others leaving the room, Nile’s Mario Party challenge to Booker leaving Joe and Nicky laughing as they moved towards the den. 

Knowing they were alone for the time being, she started to take the kiss deeper, but was surprised when Quynh pulled away instead.

“So, what are we going to do about Booker?” She asked, concern twisting her features.

Realizing that the kiss had largely been a ploy to get the others to leave the room, Andy dropped her head to rest their foreheads together. She wasn’t surprised that this had been eating at Quynh and was glad to have a possible solution.

“Actually, I’ve got an idea. But we’ll need your dad’s help.” She glanced towards the door the others had left by, “And we’ll talk about it later.” She smiled widely and leaned in for another kiss, which Quynh happily returned.

An hour, and several loud and boisterous rounds of Mario, later, they returned to the dining room to start on Nicky’s long list of invitees.

Opening the first box of invitations, Andy, still on folding duty, let out a groan. “The triple fold ones, Nicky, seriously?”

He just shrugged in response and they all laughed as they set to the task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation: Vous avez tous perdu la tête - You have all lost your minds


	7. Decision Time

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

3:35pm: a.hernandez has logged in

3:37pm: j.stevens has logged in

3:38pm: c.gomez has logged in

3:35pm:d.nguyen has logged in

3:37pm: y.tanaka has logged in

3:38pm: m.miller has logged in

**m.miller:** Is color guard part of marching band or do they get their own page?

**d.nguyen:** It'll throw off the page counts if they do.

**m.miller:** But it's not band. They perform with band sometimes, but are totally separate.

**j.stevens:** Yeah, they should get their own page.

**y.tanaka:** Just add another general photos page.

**c.gomez:** You just want to have somewhere to put that one of Andy and Quynh in Joe and Nicky's laps with Booker and Nile making faces behind them.

**y.tanaka:** Yeah, why don't all of you? Talk about the weirdest group of people ever. 

**m.miller:** Seriously. They aren't even friends.

**c.gomez:** Probably just happened because the camera was there.

**d.nguyen:** We kinda have to use it, it's the only one that exists of Nicky.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe resisted the urge to shift in his seat, to scream, to laugh, to do anything really.

They’d been sitting in his room for quite a while now. He wasn’t sure how long since he couldn’t see the clock on his bedside table without turning, but it was long enough that the silence was becoming unbearable. He had known that this was likely to be complicated, maybe even a bit depressing, but he hadn’t expected this.

It had been his mother’s suggestion: “It’s Decision Time,” he’d practically been able to hear the capital letters in her statement, “why don’t you invite your friends over - you all have such great options I’m sure - and you can talk over pros and cons, and make your choices. And I’ll make a big dinner to celebrate.”

And it hadn’t been a bad idea. They all had several good college options to choose from and they were running out of time to make the decision, less than a week before the first of his schools wanted to hear from him and the others were in similar boats. But, as far as he knew, none of them had made a decision yet. Of course, ‘as far as he knew’ wasn’t much since they seemed to have all decided not to talk about it. He hadn’t made a decision and Nicky hadn’t. And they all needed to.

So, it had been a good plan. Come together, talk about everyone’s options, and make decisions without parents breathing down their necks while they tried to figure out their futures. The others seemed of the same mind because when he’d sent out a group text with the suggestion they’d all agreed and turned up that afternoon with their varied stacks of college acceptance letters.

It had been fine when they’d been downstairs. His mother doted on them all. She had taken to treating Nicky like a son about 8 months into his and Joe’s relationship, hugging him every time he visited, nagging him about homework and haircuts, and pressing food on him the second he came through the door as if he were her very own blood. The others got slightly less adoration - not surprising as his mother had made it very clear that she thought of him and Nicky as a permanent package despite their ages - but were still treated, if not like children of the house, certainly as very close nieces and nephews.

As they’d each arrived, she had pressed cookies and soda on them while inquiring about family, hobbies, and plans for the coming Spring Break week. They had chatted and eaten - despite knowing the amount of food they were likely to be faced with at dinner, Rania Al-Kaysani’s homemade makroudhs were not to be passed up - enjoying each other’s company and ignoring, for the moment, the daunting stacks of papers in their respective backpacks and purses.

Eventually, though, they’d been bustled up to Joe’s bedroom to clear the kitchen for dinner prep. The mood had dropped noticeably with every step they’d taken up the stairs. They’d pulled bundles of paper out of bags, or, in Joe’s case, off the desk and then settled down around the room - Nicky and himself on the window seat, Andy (sprawled) and Quynh (cross legged) on the bed, Nile perched on his desk chair, and Booker on the floor propped against the closet door.

No one had said a single thing since then and while Joe wasn’t sure how much time had passed, it was long enough that his foot had gone completely asleep where it was folded under his other.

It didn’t really surprise Joe. This was the day that they not only decided a huge aspect of the rest of their lives, but also one that could fundamentally change their relationships with the people in this room. He certainly didn’t want to be the one that destroyed the little family unit they’d built over so many years of looking out for one another. But he also wasn’t sure how to be the first one to declare that he didn’t want them to go their separate ways. It felt selfish, the very idea of saying out loud something that seemed to boil down to ‘I’d rather you attended a school you didn’t want so I don’t lose my friends.’

He and Nicky had already somewhat had that conversation - a long, occasionally tear filled one around not wanting their relationship to end because of college and concerns about a long distance thing and an agreement that they’d want to stay in the same city. It hadn’t yielded any final school decisions, but at least it gave him a starting point. He was about to bite the bullet and just say something, anything to break the atmosphere that had settled over them, when Andy beat him to it, startling everyone.

“This is ridiculous!” Her incredulous laugh filled the room, “We’re all probably thinking the same thing and just sitting here isn’t going to change that.”

Her comment broke the tension in the room and Joe was glad to see smiles - small ones, but there all the same - on his friends' faces as they all nodded in acknowledgement of the elephant in the room. Andy continued.

“No one wants to be the first to say it, so I’ll bite the bullet.” She took in a deep breath and reached over to grasp Quynh’s hand where it rested on the bedspread between them. “I don’t want to be separated from any of you.”

It was like a damn breaking. The second the words were out of her mouth, the others were agreeing, their voices tumbling together in the air like waves crashing together. It took Joe a moment to pick out anyone’s specific sentiment beyond his own, but when he did, he was ecstatic that they all seemed in agreement.

“Grazie di Dio.” Nicky’s mumbled sentiment probably couldn’t be heard by the others, but was quickly followed by a louder: “I agree completely.”

Booker’s sardonic, but heartfelt, “Well, yeah, at least one of you suckers should be stuck with me.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!” Nile was bouncing in his desk chair like the words themselves couldn’t possibly be enough to express her thoughts on this.

And his own, “I go where Nicky goes.” was immediately echoed by Quynh, “I go where Andy goes.”

Another silence fell. It wasn’t as oppressive as the earlier one had been, but was there all the same. They were in agreement about not wanting to separate, but that really didn’t finalize anything. Worried that the quiet would stretch into a repeat of a few minutes previous, Joe took the initiative.

Standing, he took Nicky’s stack of papers from his hands and moved over to his desk, playfully pushing Nile and the wheelie chair to the side a bit. It took him a moment to clear the desk of everything except the two stacks of papers and the others watched him without a word. When he had ample space, he picked up Nicky’s stack and turned briefly to the room.

“These are Nicky’s acceptances.” He said to the room in general, not able to look anyone in the eye before pivoting back to the desk.

He began to lay them in piles by city, saying the city in question with each one he sorted.

“New York. Columbus. San Diego. New York.” and so on. Nicky, whose parents had insisted on him applying just about everywhere ‘To be on the safe side’ regardless of the programs offered, had over a dozen acceptances.

Once he’d laid them all out, he grabbed a pad of bright blue post-its and marked the edge of each pile. Then he picked up his own.

“Mine.” With a deep breath he repeated the process, sorting them by city, laying them on top of Nicky’s where the locations matched up.

When he was finished, there were five stacks that had both their acceptances, four piles that only had Nicky’s, and two that only had Joe’s. It only took a moment of consideration before Joe was picking up the two that only held his, shifting over to the dresser to set them face down on top of it.

“I’m not going anywhere that Nicky isn’t going to be.” He braced himself, prepared for whatever comments that brought, but only moments later, Nicky was standing and crossing to him for a brief kiss before stepping to the desk and collecting the four stacks that only held his acceptances. They went on to the dresser next to Joe’s.

It seemed to be the catalyst they all needed, as Nicky had barely stepped away from the desk before Quynh was hopping off the bed with her stack, laying a new set of post-its on the remaining five piles and adding her own to the stacks. Four matched up and after a confirming look with Joe and Nicky, who nodded together, she removed the others and added them to the dresser.

Next came Booker, then Andy, and lastly Nile. With each person, Joe held his breath, hoping that somehow - despite vastly different interests in majors and no advanced planning with regard to where they were applying - this would all work out. He didn’t know how he would stand it if it didn’t.

By the time Nile was standing to add hers to the piles, they were down to just two: New York and Los Angeles. For a moment, Joe was jubilant. He knew she’d been accepted to West Point, just an hour north of NYC. He’d been there when she received the letter. Her father, a Marine Corps Sergeant, had been ecstatic at the news.

His joy was short lived though, as he recalled the conversation that they’d shared later that same day. When Nile had admitted that even though she knew it was her father’s dearest wish for her to follow him into service, she wasn’t sure that she wanted to. She knew she wanted to spend her life helping people, but wasn’t sure it was the path she wanted to take to do so. As much as Joe wanted them to all end up in the same place, he didn’t want her making that kind of decision - especially if she’d since made up her mind not to go into the military - just because of them.

His stomach churned and his hand tightened around Nicky’s beside him as she laid her letters, almost a dozen, out on the desk. The West Point one went on to the New York stack early. She didn’t bother separating out the ones that didn’t fall into the two existing piles, instead just building a third of ‘everywhere else’ alongside them. She was nearly at the end of the pile and Joe thought he might actually vomit when she added a second letter to the New York pile. Her last went into the third mixed pile, which she swiftly pushed away from the rest. 

After a moment, she pushed the Los Angeles pile aside as well and then turned to the group with a shrug.

“So…” she paused for a long moment, “New York?”

The question in her voice was obvious, but so was the large smile on her face. It looked like this might all work out after all.

Nicky was the first to answer, his tone definitive, “Si, New York.”

The others echoed the sentiment, smiles and laughter from everyone as they all began to take in the reality that they wouldn’t be separated. Not by this at least. For a while no one moved from wherever they had perched after their own sorting, all just enjoying the relief that came with the single stack of acceptance letters sitting on Joe’s desk. 

Quynh’s voice brought them back to themselves, though her happy tone and huge grin didn’t damage the mood as she spoke, “This is great, but I think a few of us still have final decisions to make.”

She laughed loudly when Andy’s response was a confused, “Huh?” and then continued.

“Well, I only have only acceptance in that pile, but I think most of you have more than that. Still have to make final decisions.”

Andy nodded in understanding, but smiled brightly around the room as she responded, “Sure, but at least the hard part is done.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

**y.tanaka:** Well, if we’re going to do another picture page, we’d better make selections tomorrow. Print deadline is nearly here.

**d.nguyen:** Don’t remind me, we still don’t have the intro letter from Principal Merrick.

**m.miller:** Seriously? Why does he do this every year? It’s not like it’s a surprise that we need it.

**y.tanaka:** We should just ask Mr. Copley. Everyone likes him way better anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone eagerly awaiting Prom, we’re nearly there. Next chapter is pre-Prom and then Chapter 9 is Prom itself. Hope everyone is enjoying so far.


	8. Getting Ready

**Chatroom - Kennedy Yearbook**

12:10pm: m.agarwal has logged in

12:10pm: m.durham has logged in

12:13pm: c.gomez has logged in

12:14pm:d.nguyen has logged in

12:17pm: y.tanaka has logged in

12:19pm: m.miller has logged in

**m.miller:** Mahira, quick, before Aidan logs on. You two are going to Prom together?

**m.agarwal:** Yeah. We were talking and he said that if he was a senior he’d ask me.

**m.miller:** OMG. And?

**m.agarwal:** Apparently he’s liked me for a while and since I didn’t have a date for it…

**m.miller:** Oh, wow. 

12:21pm: d.nguyen has logged off

**c.gomez:** What about you Megan? Heard Joe turned you down.

**m.durham:** Again.

**y.tanaka:** Don’t be a jerk, Mark. Apparently he already has a date. That’s what he told LeAnn when she asked him.

**m.miller:** Yeah, he was super sweet about it, but that’s what he told me, too. Though he wouldn’t say who.

**c.gomez:** We’ll see soon enough.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

To say that Nicky was nervous was a drastic understatement. He’d been nervous all day, pacing restlessly and worrying his mother when he’d started doing random chores around the house just to keep himself occupied.

It wasn’t that he expected to have a bad time tonight. It was Prom and he had been looking forward to it for months. He knew that with Joe and the rest of his friends around him, the night was going to be a wonderful one to remember. It was what might happen before he even made it out the door that was freaking him out. He tried to calm himself down by remembering that whatever happened, he would be okay. His friends would make sure of that. It helped a little.

He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. Just an hour to go. He needed to start getting ready.

Just as he was starting to strip for a shower, his phone buzzed with a text message. Picking it up and looking at the sender put an instant smile on his face and his heart rate calmed a bit further. 

It was from Joe, on the group thread Nile had started almost two years ago:  _ ‘You still good with this, hayati?’ _

Nicky’s smile broadened. He knew that Joe was excited to be attending Prom together; he’d been practically buzzing with anticipation the last time they’d been together. And still he was giving Nicky a chance to back out, to save himself from the potential catastrophe that could occur just an hour from now.

He could see the dots that meant Andy was about to add her two cents, probably to back Joe up, but Nicky responded before she could:  _ ‘100%. I’m nervous, but I need to do this.’ _ He thought about it a moment and then added:  _ ‘I want to do this.’ _

Andy’s reply dots stopped for a moment, then resumed and her response came quickly:  _ ‘We’re with you all the way.’ _

A private text from Joe came through as he typed his reply. He didn’t switch to it immediately, already certain of what it said, and finished his message to the group:  _ ‘Thanks! See you all soon.’ _

Swapping quickly into his thread with Joe, he saw precisely the message he had expected:  _ ‘I love you.’ _

He didn’t even have to think about his response:  _ ‘I love you, too. See you soon, cuore mio.’ _

Dropping his phone on his bed, he finished undressing and headed to the shower, his nerves almost completely gone.

Forty-five minutes later he headed into the living room having received a text that Andy, Quynh, and Joe had left Joe’s house and were on their way. They would pick up Booker and Nile after him.

Stepping into the room, his nerves ratcheted upwards again as he found his mother and father waiting for him. His mother stood as soon as she caught sight of him.

“Oh, Nicolò.” She gushed as she stepped up to him, her hands smoothing down his lapels as she looked up at him. “You look so handsome.”

Nicky didn’t usually care that much about what he wore or how he looked to any real extent, but in this instance he had to agree with her. He’d never worn a suit like this before. Yes, there had been the poorly fitting jackets and slacks in church. Even a tie at the occasional wedding. But this felt, and looked, different. 

It had been tailored specifically for him, for a start, the black pants fitted tight enough that he’d have to make an effort all night not to shove his hands in the pockets and ruin the nice line of them. His white shirt was pressed and starched, but not scratchy again his skin. The black jacket over it felt like a second skin, even with the weight of his wallet and phone in the inner pocket, and the light blue tie he’d picked out with Joe’s help accentuated his eyes nicely. He was looking forward to Joe’s reaction to the outfit as a whole.

Stepping back from him, his mother’s expression turned slightly sour. “I wish you wouldn’t wear those ridiculous earrings though.”

Nicky sighed. This was a conversation that they’d had at least weekly since he’d gotten his ears pierced and no amount of pointing out that he liked his silver hoops or that it was his body had changed his mother’s opinion in the slightest.

Closing the distance between them, he bent slightly to lay a kiss against her cheek. “I know, but I’m 18, this is my Prom, and I am going to it as myself.” 

“Well, I have no idea what that means.” He could hear the confusion in her tone, but he just smiled in response.

He had decided months ago, that no matter what happened, once he turned 18, he was done hiding who he was from anyone. His birthday had been just over a week previous and tonight his parents were going to learn the truth. 

And maybe his ultra-Catholic parents would surprise him. He hoped so, but his friends had helped him make preparations in case they didn’t.

While Nicky's dad had been at work the previous afternoon and Andy had successfully been distracting his mom by pretending to have a truly epic meltdown over a guy that didn't actually exist, Quynh and Booker had climbed in through Nicky's bedroom window - left unlocked and cracked for this very purpose - and had ferried everything he cared about out the window to Nile and Joe. Once everything Nicky had chosen to keep safe was outside, the four of them had loaded the full array of luggage (borrowed from everyone they could think of, including a few temporary thefts from the drama department props) and boxes into Nile's dad's SUV and been gone before anyone had been any the wiser. If the worst happened, Nicky would spend the last few weeks of the school year at Andy’s - her parents would be out of town until just before graduation and she had insisted that they wouldn’t mind either way.

Now he just had to tell them, though that would wait until his friends had arrived. He wasn’t sure that having three additional teenagers there would change his parent’s reaction, but at least between the four of them, they’d be okay if things turned violent, though Nicky highly doubted it would. As he considered the possibilities, his nervousness returned and he resisted the urge to run his hands through his hair as he glanced at the clock on the mantle.

His thoughts were interrupted by his father’s gruff tones, “Leave the boy alone. He’s old enough to make his own decisions.”

Nicky barely had time to consider how he’d feel when he found out the extent of Nicky’s decisions before the doorbell rang. With a deep sigh of relief that all of the anticipation and worry would soon be past, one way or another, he stepped swiftly over to the door and opened it.

And in the space of a heartbeat, Nicky’s entire world became okay again. Because there was Joe, looking exquisite in a blue suit, black shirt, and artful haphazardly loose silver tie. The smile on his face grew as his eyes swept quickly down Nicky’s body, taking in his own outfit, and when his eyes returned to Nicky’s there was a new darkness to them that made Nicky’s heart race.

Behind Joe, Andy, in a sleeveless black gown, and Quynh, in a long sleeve purple one, grinned at their besotted friends. It was a long moment before Andy cleared her throat and gestured into the house with a question clear in her expression.

Shaking off his stupor, Nicky stepped back and beckoned the three of them in. Stepping aside, Joe let the girls enter the house before he followed, his hand briefly and discretely grazing Nicky’s as he stepped through the door, which the other boy swung shut behind him.

Taking a deep breath, Nicky moved back into the living room. Not surprisingly, the girls and Joe stayed close to the door and he didn’t allow himself more than an arm’s distance from Joe before he was introducing everyone to his parents.

“Mom, dad, this is Andy and Quynh.” The girls both smiled cautiously and Quynh raised her hand for a small wave before he continued, “And this is Joe.”

His mother smiled pleasantly at them all, but something in his tone must have set off alarms for his father, who was suddenly standing, concern etched across his features. Reminding himself that this was the whole point of this moment, he turned and stepped back towards the others, stopping just short of Joe, who he gave a reassuring smile and nod before turning to Andy.

“Do you have…” He trailed off as she nodded, reaching into the purse she carried and pulling out the simple white rose boutineer he’d chosen for the occasion. He gave her a bright smile as he took it and then turned back to Joe, unsurprised to see a similar one, in light blue, in his hands.

It was too much for his father, who finally spoke, “What is going on here?”

Nicky didn’t look over at him as he answered, concentrating instead on affixing the flower to Joe’s lapel, “Exactly what it looks like.”

Joe’s smile was radiant as Nicky finished and smoothed his hands down Joe’s chest. Reaching out, he attached his own to Nicky’s jacket, his eyes barely leaving the other boy's face as he did so. When he was done, his eyes dropped briefly to focus on Nicky’s lips, but he gave the slightest shake of his head and Nicky could almost hear him thinking about not pushing things too far.

But Nicky was done hiding. His eyes locked on Joe’s, he raised his hand to lightly cup his face and then leaned in to lay a brief, sweet kiss on his lips.

He heard his mother gasp as he pulled away and he turned to look at his parents, his hand falling away from Joe’s face, but caught a moment later in his firm grip. His father seemed to be in shock, his mouth hanging slightly open as his brow furrowed in anger, or possibly disbelief.

Not wanting to give the older man a chance to move past his current speechlessness, Nicky spoke first, “This is who I am.” Joe’s hand tightened around his own, “For so long, I’ve hidden this from you, but not anymore. I hope that you can accept this part of me and still love me.” He stole a quick look back at Joe, “But regardless of whether you do or not, I’m done hiding and I am going to Prom with my boyfriend.”

The silence that followed was nearly deafening. Nicky waited several long moments, but when his parents remained just standing there, he gave them a definitive nod and turned back to the door, pulling Joe gently with him. Opening the door, he gestured for the girls to proceed them out and then followed, Joe at his side, pulling the door shut behind him.

No one said anything as they made the short trip down the walkway and driveway to the waiting limo. As soon as they were seated - Joe next to him, Andy and Quynh across from them - it was Joe who broke the silence.

“How are you?” His voice was gentle, his hand still clasped in Nicky’s. 

“Good.” His smile surprised everyone. “It was hard and I don’t know what will happen now, but I am glad that they know. It feels good not to be keeping this secret any longer.”

As he spoke, the others matched his smile, and when he finished Joe leaned into him for a long, slow kiss. It might have gone deeper, but they pulled apart when Andy cleared her throat.

“Okay,” she said when they were looking at her, a slight blush rising on Nicky’s cheeks, “let’s get this show on the road.” She raised her hand and tapped on the divider that separated them from the driver.

As they pulled away from the curb, Nicky didn’t look back at the house, his focus on his friends and the future.


	9. Prom Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter (6000+ words). I debated dividing it in two, but didn’t like the idea of splitting the dance like that. Hope no one minds.

Andy had originally been dubious of Nile’s plan to arrive at the hotel hosting their prom several minutes before the official start time, but it had certainly proved an excellent strategy so far. They had picked up Nile, stunning in a golden dress, and then Booker, his black pants and shirt with a white jacket accessorized with the red rose boutineer that Nile had surprised him with. The thirty minute drive in to San Francisco proper had been a fun and boisterous journey which started with Booker convincing the six of them to place odds on which of their classmates would break up before the night was over and ended with a heated debate about whose college school colors were the best as the limo pulled up to the front doors of the Westin St. Francis in Union Square.

Nile, who had apparently done some research ahead of time, led them through the gorgeous lobby - where they drew no small amount of attention in their evening attire from the hotel’s guests - to the elevator bank with several comments about the view from the ballroom. When they arrived at the 32nd floor, they were just a few minutes before the official start time and among the first to arrive. They all vaguely recognized the two couples ahead of them in line waiting to check in and head into the ballroom, but none they actually knew, so they ignored them in favor of their own conversation.

“We all just have to face facts,” Booker was saying when Ms. Amari finally took a seat at the check-in table and started ushering them forward, “Quynh wins this one. We all chose schools with super boring colors. No amount of arguing is going to change the fact that our various shades of red with white and various shades of blue with white are no match for Long Island University’s green and gold.”

They all conceded his point with shrugs and nods as they stepped forward for their own check-ins. Nile had just handed over her ID to be checked against the list of tickets and code of conduct signatures when the elevator dinged behind them. Glancing over her shoulder, Andy was surprised to see Megan Miller exiting with Kyle Lockwood. Megan had always struck her as the type to believe in a fashionably late entry to parties. Hearing Booker start his check-in, she turned her attention back around, but could hear Joe greet the other girl.

“Megan, you look very nice.” The smile she could make out in Joe’s voice seemed unreasonably polite to Andy, who knew the other girl had spent the last year and a half practically hanging on Joe since they’d done a show together, but then Joe had always been more charitable to other people than Andy was ever likely to be.

“Thanks. Do you know Kyle?”

“Yeah, we’ve had art together for the last 3 years.” Andy could almost picture him reaching out to shake the other boy’s hand despite that fact and was considering looking back to confirm, but was distracted by Quynh’s voice next to her as her girlfriend checked them in.

Booker and Nile had waited outside the doors for them and she and Quynh joined them, watching patiently as Joe and Nicky stepped up to the table with their IDs. It took the look of curiosity on Megan’s face for Andy to register that she and Kyle would be the first outside their little group to know about Joe and Nicky. She sighed. That would pretty much guarantee that the news made the rounds in lightning time. The boys seemed unconcerned, or possibly unaware, as they handed their IDs over to Ms. Amari, who smiled at them gently.

“Name on the ticket purchase?”

“Joe Al-Kaysani.”

It took her a moment to find his name on the list. “Ah, here we are. Two tickets and two signatures for the code of conduct, one yourself and the other Mr. di Genova.” She handed them back their IDs, “You are all set. Have a good time.”

They both tucked their wallets back into their jacket pockets with a brief ‘Thank you’ and then Joe took Nicky’s hand as they moved to the door, completely ignoring the loud gasp from Megan behind them. For a moment, Andy considered asking Nicky if he was still doing okay, but the large smile on his face was all she needed to see. Slinging an arm around Quynh’s waist, she followed Booker, who had pushed open the ballroom doors.

They barely made it full into the room, doors swinging shut behind them, before they were pausing to marvel at the scene around them.

Tables set for 6 or 8 each and decked in the school’s purple and gold were along one side of the long room. A large dance floor took up more than half of the remaining space, a DJ stand set up along one side. And buffet tables, not yet laden with food, took up the rest. It was a beautiful set-up, but the real marvel was the view out the floor to ceiling windows that lined all of the walls except the one with the door they’d just stepped through. Laid out before them, the setting sun shone on the city, the bay, and the Bay Bridge, it’s lights already shining out over the water.

Nile’s insistence on an early arrival now began to make perfect sense. As the few couples who had come in before them were busy taking in the view, the group claimed one of the smaller, six person tables in the far corner from the door where the windows on two sides would provide the perfect backdrop for their night.

As they took their seats and continued to look around the space, including taking in the half dozen teachers that were acting as chaperones for the night, a server in the hotel's blue and gold uniform came over. She wasn’t much older than they were and smiled brightly as she greeted them.

“Good evening. My name’s Carly and I’ll be part of the wait staff this evening. If you’ve definitely claimed this table,” she paused and looked briefly around the room and then leaned closer as though sharing a secret, “which is the best one here, I can bring over some ‘Reserved’ table cards to mark it as taken.” They all nodded at that, glad that they wouldn’t have to stay put to keep their claim. “I’d also recommend getting some drinks started, so it’s really obvious.” She turned and gestured at the buffet tables and the food that was now starting to be set up, “All of the food tonight will be buffet style, so you’ll serve yourself, but myself and the rest of the staff will get any drinks that you’d like and we’ll be clearing plates when you are done. We have still and sparkling waters, a variety of juices and sodas, as well as coffee and tea. What can I get started for you?”

Carly jotted down their orders - waters for everyone as well as soda or juice for each of them - and then smiled brightly again. “I’ll get those going. And if you don’t want to leave jackets or purses at the table, you can use the coat check there in the corner.”

Glancing where she pointed, Andy noted the smaller door near the one they had entered through and the pair of attendants waiting with hangers and tickets. Nearby, a photographer was set up in front of a starry sky backdrop. She wondered briefly how she had missed seeing him in her initial scan of the room.

Joe noticed him as well. “Once our drinks and the reserved signs come, we can check anything we don’t think we’ll want for the rest of the night and then grab some official photos before the line gets insane.” 

The others nodded at this suggestion and Nicky expanded on it.

“I’ll probably check my wallet - no real point in carrying it around all night - so if one of you without pockets would like me to hold on to your phone...” He trailed off with a shrug. The other two boys nodded their willingness to do the same and the girls smiled gratefully at their friends.

Couples and groups were trickling in steadily, and the group spent the few minutes while they waited critiquing outfits and speculating about the attendees that none of them had seen on campus. Andy noticed Megan flitting between the new arrivals and occasionally pointing their direction. Nicky must have caught the glare that she was firing at the other girl, because he bumped her arm with his elbow.

“Just ignore it, Andy. People are going to talk. People would talk even if Joe and I had been open about this the whole time.” He shrugged and continued, “It is what it is. I’m not going to let it ruin this amazing night.”

He had barely finished speaking before the others were echoing their approval and Joe was tugging Nicky closer to him using the arm stretched across the back of his seat. They bumped foreheads briefly, the small display of affection causing Andy to smile and nod. He was right, of course.

She turned her focus back to the table, about to make a comment about how badly Ed Hong and his date’s outfits clashed, but was stopped by the arrival of Carly and another server with their drinks and signs. Thanking the two of them, they quickly rearranged the table to make it very clear it was already spoken for and then headed towards coat check.

There were a few people in line before them and as they waited, Booker reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out what looked like a folded piece of nylon. Before any of them could ask why he was carrying it, he had unfolded it to reveal a small drawstring backpack. Seeing their confused looks, he yanked the cords down on the bag and showed them the two small loops he’d tied in the strings. With a smile at their continued befuddlement, he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small luggage lock and demonstrated how the lock fit through the loops and kept the bag from being opened by anyone else. Then he grinned at them.

“I didn’t know there would be a fancy coat check.” He shrugged, “This way I could have locked the bag to the back of a chair with our stuff inside.”

Understanding dawned on Andy as he pulled the lock back out of the loops and opened the bag.

“We could still use it, if anyone wanted.” He looked like he expected the idea to be quickly shot down, but then grinned when Nicky responded.

“Yeah, that’s a brilliant idea. Then we only check one thing and it’s more secure.” He let out a short chuckle as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and promptly dropped it in the bag, “Good thinking.”

Quynh followed suit, pulling her phone out of the small clutch she carried before depositing the purse in the backpack. With a smile, Booker took the phone from her as well, tucking it into his jacket pocket where the backpack had been. With a quick kiss to his cheek, she moved aside for the others to follow suit, Nile handing her phone off to Nicky and Andy’s going to Joe.

By the time Booker had secured the backpack shut, they had reached the front of the line. They received an odd look for the locked backpack, but the attendant took it without question and handed over the check slip. Then they turned to the photographer.

This was also only a short wait as most of the attendees were still either filtering into the room or busy claiming seats and chatting with friends.

With no one waiting behind them, they took advantage of the professional and grabbed a lot of shots together, knowing that they’d be able to choose later which they actually wanted to buy. The photographer seemed vaguely amused at their antics, probably glad to have something other than the cliched prom couple shots to take. They laughed as they arranged themselves in various poses: Booker looking very James Bond with Quynh on one arm and Nile on the other, Andy looking regal as the boys knelt around her in various attitudes of supplication, the boys in the classic Charlie’s Angels pose, the girls doing the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil one, and one of all of them together crowded happily together with huge smiles on their faces.

Only when another couple walked up to wait their turn, did they choose to do the final couple poses: Andy and Quynh holding hands and gazing lovingly at each other and Joe and Nicky, arms wrapped around each other’s waists, turned towards the camera, but eyes only on each other. As they were about to step away from the backdrop, Nile stopped them, a large grin on her face as she thought of a final group pose. It took only a moment to explain what she was thinking and another for them to get in place: Nicky and Joe holding Booker’s feet and knees, Andy and Quynh holding his shoulders and upper back, and Nile seated on his stomach, suspended in air by the others, all of them grinning like crazy at the camera.

Once the shot was taken, Nile had hopped down, and Booker set back on his feet, they grabbed the photography claim check which would allow them to check out the digital prints as early as the next morning and decide what to buy. Joe was talking animatedly about how his mom would probably want all of them as they walked back to the table, but stopped when he noticed the solemn expression on Nicky’s face. Taking his hand, he squeezed it tightly before shifting the conversation away from parents.

Over the next hour, they focused their attention largely on dinner, filling their plates with the variety of finger foods on offer and taking bites in between stories and laughter. For the most part they ignored everyone around them, disinterested in doing anything other than having fun. Occasionally some of the people they knew well, primarily Quynh’s water polo teammates, Joe’s drama cohort, and Booker’s bandmates, would wander over for a few minutes, but no one stayed long.

A few times during the hour, they headed out onto the dance floor, usually dragged by Nile in pairs or as a whole group, to spend a few minutes moving to the faster pop numbers the DJ was playing as everyone ate.

Eventually, they allowed the servers to clear away their plates - Quynh complaining at length when she discovered that it would be another ninety minutes before the desserts were set out. Around the room the atmosphere changed noticeably as people finished eating and moved instead to fill more of the dance floor. The lights in the hall dimmed slightly, making the view out the windows even more spectacular, and the DJ began to intersperse frequent slow songs into the set.

For several songs, the group stayed where they were, content to listen as Andy detailed the epic road trip that she had planned to get them from California to New York with plenty of time to settle in before school started in the fall. If Joe didn’t know exactly how much planning Andy tended to put into this kind of thing, he might have been seriously worried by the whirlwind trip she was describing - everything from a half dozen rollercoasters to the world’s largest stamp ball. But this wouldn’t be the first road trip he’d taken with her and he knew that she would have all the details sorted as well as numerous alternatives to absolutely everything so that they could all have some say in the adventure.

He was just about to chime in regarding his complete disinterest in seeing Mount Rushmore, which Nile had already declared ‘an obscene piece of colonial imperialism’, when the music shifted and he changed his plans. Standing, to the surprise of Andy and Booker who were focused entirely on the discussion, he offered his hand to Nicky.

“Dance with me?”

Nicky was already taking his hand and standing when his face shifted, his expression softening as he recognized the song, Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’. They had danced to it many times, in the semi-privacy of Joe’s bedroom, since it first came out and Joe had taken to thinking of it as their song; something they could still be dancing to 60 years from now.

Grasping his hand tightly, a large gentle smile across his face, Nicky walked with him to the dance floor, completely ignoring those of their classmates that turned to point and stare at them as they made their way over.

As soon as they were into a relatively open space on the dance floor, Nicky turned to Joe, draping an arm over his shoulder, their clasped hands tucked against their chests between them, and feeling Joe’s hand take its place on his hip, the familiar weight of it both soothing and thrilling at the same time. Staring into Joe’s eyes as they moved slowly together, he knew that no matter how things ended up with his parents, it would be worth it for this moment. A moment without secrets or shame. Just them together, as it should be.

With their eyes only for each other and Joe murmuring the lyrics gently into the space between them - ‘I fall in love with you every single day’ - neither noticed the many eyes that watched them. And while a few were certainly hostile, the vast majority observed them with something akin to awe in their expressions. It was impossible not to see how deeply they were in love as they swayed gently together.

As the song came to an end, Joe pressed their foreheads together as they whispered the last line of the song together, “We found love right where we are.” They stayed like that for long moments, even as the music shifted to a jazzy number neither of them knew, content to be as they were for the time being.

Eventually Joe pulled back slightly, his smile shining in the dim room as he spoke, “I love you.”

Nicky let go of Joe’s hand so that he could cup his face in both as he spoke, “I love you, too.” and then leaned in to lay a soft, loving kiss on the other boy’s lips. Pulling back, they shared another smile before Nicky dropped his hands, laced the fingers of his right through Joe’s left and then started to pull him gently back towards their table.

They had only made it a few steps before Nicky was roughly jolted from behind. He stumbled forward a few steps, losing hold of Joe’s hand in the process, but managed to stay on his feet. Turning, he found Joe glaring at Brian Fisher, whose smug expression told Nicky everything he needed to know about what had happened. He stepped back closer to Joe, though not so close as to impede his movement if the altercation turned physical, though it seemed unlikely as already he could see several of the chaperones moving their way.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Joe’s tone made it clear that he wasn’t going to be taking any of Brian’s bullshit.

“Ah,” The condescension clear in Brian’s tone made Nicky angrier than being shoved had, “Did I hurt your boyfriend?”

The look on Joe’s face shifted in an instant. He no longer looked angry. There was still a hint of that hardness around his eyes, but mostly he just looked at Brian with pity before he began to speak, his words full of ardent passion and his voice probably louder than he might otherwise have chosen for a crowded room with all eyes now on them.

"You are a child. An infant. He's not my boyfriend. He's more to me than you can dream. He's the moon when I'm lost in darkness and warmth when I shiver in cold. His heart overflows with a kindness this world is not worthy of and his kiss still thrills me, even after four years together. I love him beyond measure and reason. He's not my boyfriend."

He looked away from Brian who seemed to be having immense difficulty processing what he was hearing and locked eyes with Nicky as he finished, "He's all and he's more."

"You," Nicky closed the short distance between them, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, completely ignoring Brian’s presence, "are an incurable romantic."

Not caring who was watching or where they were, Nicky pulled Joe into a deep kiss, their tongues tangling together as Joe pulled him closer with a hand on his waist under his jacket, their bodies pressed fully together. He doesn’t know whether it was seconds or minutes later when a loud cough from nearby separated them.

It was Mr. Jenkins, Nicky’s government teacher. He was obviously trying to look stern, but was having trouble holding in his grin. His husband, standing a few steps behind him wasn’t even trying, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter as he watched Brian stalk away through the crowd.

“Code of conduct, boys.” The older man gestured to where Nicky’s hand had drifted low on Joe’s back, his fingers grazing the top of his ass.

They stepped apart slightly, Nicky’s hand raising to rest gently on Joe’s waist as he grinned back at the teacher, “Approaching ‘obscene’?” He asked, remembering some of the wording from the document they’d all been required to sign.

Jenkins nodded with a chuckle, “Definitely getting there, yeah.” He turned away briefly, but shifted back to look at Joe, “Well handled, Mr. Al-Kaysani.” He gestured vaguely in the direction Brian had gone and then smiled wider, “And well spoken.”

Without waiting for a response, he walked away from them, presumably back to a position on the edge of the dance to keep an eye from. His husband flashed them a thumbs up before following.

They barely had a moment to process what had happened before the others were joining them, all grinning broadly.

“I got so many pictures,” Quynh said, waving her phone at them.

All Joe could do was laugh as they made their way back to their table.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicky was a little surprised that, almost two hours later, Brian had been the only person at the dance to give them any trouble. Maybe it was the fact the majority of the students didn’t seem to have any issue with it or possibly Joe shutting down Brian as effectively as he had kept any one else with problems at bay. Whatever the reason, Nicky couldn’t have been happier.

Their group in the corner continued to stick largely to themselves, talking and laughing, occasionally getting up to dance - at one point Booker literally waltzed Andy around the floor, drawing the attention of more than a few other willing partners for him through the night. When desserts were laid out, they debated the individual merits of each of the offerings, from little red velvet parfaits and mini vanilla cupcakes to chocolate chip cookies and caramel fudge brownies.

And, as the night went into its final hour, they joined the rest of the students to cluster around the dance floor for the announcement of Prom King and Queen. It wasn’t much of a shock when Megan Miller was named Queen, but their group was surprised when Joe was named King, and no one more so than Joe himself, who actually turned to Nicky to confirm they had, in fact, called his name.

But the biggest shock was when Megan, who had done a terrible job keeping her long running crush on Joe a secret, only claimed him for a few short bars of the song they were supposed to dance together to before ushering Nicky over to continue as she shifted partners to dance with her own date. Afterwards, when the boys went to thank her, she shook her head at their gratitude.

“You two belong together, that’s obvious. No one should try to interfere with that.” She’d given them each a kiss on the cheek and then stepped away to talk to some of her friends.

Nicky was still marveling at the fact that she was, in fact, a decent human being as they made their way back to the table, currently empty as the others continued to chat near the dance floor. He had barely sat down when his phone chirped his text message alert from his pocket. 

With everyone who would usually text him already in the room, he could only assume that it was from one of his parents. Reminding himself that whatever it said, at least this would all be over, he let out a deep sigh and reached into his pocket.

Joe tensed beside him as he withdrew his phone, probably making the same assumption about the sender, and for a long moment they locked eyes, Joe silently assuring him that whatever happened, he was there.

Unlocking the phone, he opened the text app and stared at the message from his father.

_ ‘You’ve chosen a lifestyle we cannot and will not support. You are no longer welcome in our home.’ _

For a long moment, Nicky was shocked by the simplicity of the message. No demands, no talk of God, no bargaining. It wasn’t what he had expected. In a way, though, it made his life easier. No second guessing his choice - not that he thought he would - or attempts to win their approval. Just done.

He handed the phone to Joe to read, still not entirely processing what it meant. Short moments later, Joe handed him back the phone, which he tucked back into his pocket, and took his hand. It was clear from his expression that he wanted to do more, but was aware of where they were.

It was Joe’s obvious concern that caused the reality of the situation to sink in for Nicky. As the enormity of what had happened sank in, he clenched Joe’s hand tightly and squeezed his eyes shut against the tears that were threatening.

As the others rejoined them at the table, Andy immediately knew something was up, “What’s happened?” she asked without preamble.

Conscious of their classmates around them and the likelihood that he would be crying shortly, Nicky stood.

“Not here.”

It was a credit to how much the others cared for him that none of them questioned him as they followed his lead, Joe’s hand clasped tightly in his, away from the table, out the main doors, past the elevators and bathrooms, and around a corner to where a pair of closed doors - leading to more meeting rooms, he presumed - created a small, semi-private alcove.

Once they were all together, and Nile had confirmed no one had followed them, Nicky pulled his phone back out, unlocked it, and handed it over to Andy to read the message he’d received. As soon as his hand was empty, Joe was wrapping himself around Nicky from behind, hugging him tightly, their fingers tangled over Nicky’s heart. The tears that Nicky had been holding in finally fell, streaking quietly down his face.

As soon as she read the message, Andy paled, her expression sorrowful as she passed the phone over to Quynh before stepping over to him and wrapping her arms around him and Joe. One by one they each read the message and then joined the growing hug. By the time Booker had read it, turned off the phone, tucked it into his pocket, and joined them, Nicky was actually beginning to feel a bit better and the tears had stopped.

He had known that this was the likely outcome of coming out to his parents; had planned for this exact circumstance. It didn’t change how much it hurt that his own flesh and blood couldn’t accept him for who he was, but it made acclimatizing to the new reality of his life easier. As did the five incredible people who had stood by him and who were currently doing their best to crush him with their love.

He let out a short, wet laugh as he contemplated what they would currently look like if anyone else came around the corner and found them. Reaching up as best he could with his arms mostly pinned, he wiped away the remaining tears. At his motion the others pulled away, concern etched on all of their faces. Even Joe shifted, stepping around him so he could more clearly see Nicky’s face.

“Thank you.” His voice was a bit hoarse and he cleared his throat to try again, but was stopped by Nile.

“You never have to thank us for being on your side, Nicky. That’s never going to change.” Her smile bright, even as worry still played across his features.

The others nodded their agreement and he couldn’t help but smile back at them.

“If you wanna head out, mon amie, we’d totally understand.” Booker added, an unusual earnestness in his tone, “You don’t even have to go back in, I can grab all our stuff.”

Nicky considered it for a long moment, the others waiting patiently for his decision. He was slightly tempted by Booker’s offer and the chance to just hide away from the world with his friends for a while. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that doing that would just be letting his parent’s close-mindedness keep deciding things in his life. And he’d been doing that for long enough already.

Shaking his head, he spoke. “Thanks, but I don’t wanna do that. We still have 45 minutes left to enjoy this night and I want to do just that.” He smiled and then continued, “I just need a couple of minutes to finish processing and then I’ll come back in.”

They accepted his implied dismissal, each of them stepping in to give him another hug before they wandered back around the corner, Booker returning his phone before he joined the others. When only Joe was left, he stepped in front of Nicky, so he could look him in the eye.

“Should I…?” He gestured behind him.

Nicky shook his head, “No, stay.”

Joe considered him for a long moment and then asked, “What can I do to help?”

“Just hold me for a bit.”

Joe didn’t need to be asked twice, stepping up against him and enfolding him gently in his arms. Nicky wrapped his own around Joe’s shoulders and pressed their foreheads together, his eyes closed to savor the moment. Whatever else happened in his life, in this moment he was safe and he was loved.

A few minutes later, Nicky pulled away from Joe, his heart lighter than he would have expected with the events of the last ten minutes. Smiling gently at the love of his life, he leaned in and laid a soft kiss on his lips. Pulling back slightly, he opened his mouth to tell Joe how much he loved him, but Joe spoke before he could.

“I know.” He raised a hand to brush gently against Nicky’s cheek, “I know, hayati.”

Nicky’s smile grew at that and he leaned in to press a firm kiss to Joe’s forehead. Stepping away, he gestured the way they’d come.

“Shall we, cuore mio?”

Joe nodded and hand in hand they stepped back around the corner.

Nicky was unsurprised to find that while the others had given them some space and time, they had not returned to the party. Instead they’d taken up positions in the hallway, appearing casual to anyone who didn’t know them, but very definitely blocking any chance of getting to the alcove they’d been in. Andy and Quynh stood in the middle of the hall, chatting quietly while Nile reclined against a wall, scrolling through something on her phone, with Booker mirroring her on the other side, his shoulder leaned against the wall and his phone also in hand.

What did surprise him was Mr. Ballin standing just past them, watching the tableau with amusement clear on his features, though it morphed to concern as the boys stepped into view.

As soon as they were in sight, the others dropped their pretense, turning to them, their faces a mix of questioning and concern. He smiled widely at them and nodded, letting them know that he was okay. Then he tilted his head to glance past Booker, giving Mr. Ballin a nod as well to let him know that he could approach, which he did, taking a spot in their little circle when Nile stepped aside to make some space.

The older man took in their faces for a long moment before speaking, his eyes on Nicky, “Everything okay? You looked upset when you left the ballroom.”

Nicky nodded, “Yeah.” He took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing, “I came out to my parents today. Before the dance.” He took a deep breath. “I just got a text from my dad. They don’t want me to come back.”

The concern on Ballin’s face deepened and he looked heartbroken for Nicky and the situation. “Okay, obviously this is a terrible situation that I wish you weren’t in. So firstly, are you okay?”

Nicky let out a short burst of laughter, “You know, amazingly, yeah, I think I am. I had hoped that this wouldn’t be how they react, but it’s still kind of what I expected. So, yeah, it’s hard, but I’m okay.”

“Good. Then secondly, do you have somewhere safe to go?” He glanced briefly around at the group of friends, already pretty sure of the answer to that.

“Yeah,” Nicky grinned, “like I said, I kind of expected this.” He gestured at the group. “Everyone helped me get my stuff out of my parents house yesterday and I’ll be staying at Andy’s through the rest of the school year and until we all leave for New York a few weeks later.”

The tension dropped out of Ballin’s shoulders as Nicky confirmed that he’d have somewhere to go. He smiled around the group. With any other group of teenagers he might have been surprised by the support they were providing their friend, but he’d watched the six of them throughout the last few years and wasn’t shocked by the depth of their friendship.

“Good. Glad to hear it.” He smiled around at them and then shifted the topic. “New York, huh? All of you?”

It was Joe who answered, joy clear in his voice as he spoke, “Yep. All of us. You already knew that I was headed to Juilliard.”

“Yes and my only disappointment in that is that you’ll be focusing on Visual Arts instead of Theater.” The teacher responded, teasing slightly.

“We’ll see what happens.” Joe responded before bumping his head against Nicky’s and continuing, “Nicky is headed to Columbia for a double in Theology and Psychology.”

Nicky jumped in, seeing the surprise on Ballin’s face, “I want to help counsel those that have been let down by the church. Whose faith has made them hate themselves or those around them.”

Joe squeezed his hand and then continued, “Andy is also going to Columbia. Majoring in Ancient Studies. Quynh has a scholarship to play water polo at Long Island University. Not sure she’s chosen a major yet.” He looked at her questioningly.

“Not a hundred percent,” she acknowledged, “but thinking either Kinesiology or Sports Management.”

Ballin nodded. His drama building was next door to the pool and on hot spring days when he had the windows open it wasn’t unusual to hear Quynh’s voice ringing out to her teammates almost as often as their coaches during practice. Sports Management would probably be right up her alley.

“Booker’s been accepted at The Manhattan School of Music to study Music Composition. And as much as you would probably like her to be studying Theater Design, Nile is headed to Fordham for Pre-Law.”

Ballin chuckled, “Oh, I’ve had enough arguments with her to believe that’s a good choice.”

They all laughed and Nicky was surprised to find that the tight ball of pain that had taken up residence in his chest when he read his father’s message was gone.

“So you’ll all be together.” Ballin said, a smile on his face as he took in their nods of agreement. He focused back on Nicky. “And you’ll be okay?”

“Definitely.”

“Well, then you should all probably get back in there,” He gestured behind him, “and enjoy the last bit of the dance.”

Not waiting for them to respond, Ballin turned and walked away, heading back into the ballroom. The six of them stayed as they were for a moment longer.

It was Andy who broke the short silence, “Together?”

And Quynh who answered, “Until the end.”

They all nodded at that and, as he looked around at his friends, Nicky decided that dwelling in the past and the what-ifs was pointless. He would focus instead on the future. With that in mind he headed back into the ballroom, knowing the others would be right there with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is going to an event and worried about their stuff, I recommend the trick with the drawstring backpack that Booker does. It works really well and unless someone is willing to be really obvious with bolt cutters or scissors your stuff is safe.
> 
> No Yearbook chat in this one, but we'll see them in person during part of the next chapter.


	10. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a series of vignettes that all occur on the Monday after Prom, so it may be a bit disjointed. Especially as the first and last (the yearbook kids) is all one time period (just like the earlier chatroom posts).

When Yuri Tanaka walked into his first period Yearbook class the Monday after Prom it was with a mixture of awe and confusion plastered across his features. He was among the last of the class to arrive and he promptly wandered over to where Jack Stevens and Mahira Agarwal, two of the Seniors in the class, were chatting. Not caring that he might be interrupting their conversation, he waited just briefly until he was sure they had both noticed him before speaking.

“I just saw Nicky and Joe walking down Senior corridor holding hands. When did that happen?”

Jack grinned at the question. It had been all anyone who’d been at Prom could talk about all night and it already seemed to be making the rounds heavily through everyone else that morning. Not surprising if they were walking around together.

“According to Joe, about 4 years ago.” He responded, not surprised when the other boy’s expression filled with shock.

“What?!?” His exclamation drew the attention of a few other members of the class, who wandered over as Mahira spoke.

“Yeah,” She grinned, “they went to Prom together. Everyone was shocked.”

Christina Gomez spoke up as she came over to where they were standing, “Well, not everyone. It didn’t seem any kind of surprise to Booker, Andy, Quynh, or Nile.” She waited a moment while this information sank in with the others, “They all came in one group together.”

“What?!?” Yuri repeated his earlier statement.

“Yeah, they seemed to be pretty good friends.”

* * *

For the past four years of Nicky’s life, he’d followed the same routine every school day. Wake up, shower, quick breakfast - usually whatever was easiest to eat as he walked out the door - and then catching the bus which would get him to school with just barely enough time to make it to his locker before the first class of the day.

The Monday morning after Prom could not have been more different. The same alarm he’d always set on his phone woke him, but that was where the similarities ended.

He had barely hit his first snooze of the morning when Andy knocked, not even waiting for a response before opening his door. He sat up and stared at her with bleary eyes; he’d forgotten that she was somehow a morning person. That would be fun during their road trip.

“Good, you’re finally up.” She grinned at him, obviously aware that he was in no way awake yet, but continued anyways, “Come downstairs, breakfast is almost ready.”

She closed the door behind her as she left and he was sorely tempted to flop back down and ignore that she’d ever come in, but his curiosity over what she could possibly have meant about breakfast got the best of him. There were a lot of things Andy was great at, but cooking was not one of them. Still yawning as he switched off his alarm, he got up and headed downstairs.

Andy was not, thankfully, responsible for the breakfast that he found waiting for him when he arrived in the kitchen. 

“My mom read some article,” she explained to him as he grabbed a plate filled with fresh fruit, bacon, and scrambled eggs, “about how teenagers rarely eat breakfast and how that’s tied to poor school performance or something. So, she hired Dani,” she gestured at the middle aged woman currently doing dishes, “to cook breakfast each day. And to prep dinner when they’re out of town.”

Nicky had smiled, used the Keurig to make a cup of coffee, and sat down to eat. As much as it was a bit odd for him to have a stranger asking if he wanted more bacon and then taking his plate when he was done, he did have to admit that it certainly felt better than the mornings when he decided a Hostess cupcake counted as breakfast.

Afterwards, he’d showered, dressed, gathered his stuff for school - none of it while rushing for a change - and hopped in Andy’s car for the drive to school. They’d arrived 20 minutes before the first bell and for a moment, Nicky had no idea what he was supposed to do with himself during that time. It didn’t last long as he walked along with Andy to her locker and found Joe waiting for them there.

Out of habit, Nicky started to raise a hand to wave a greeting at Joe as they walked towards him, but he stopped himself and his smile widened as he realized that he no longer had to do that. That he could now greet his boyfriend how he’d always wanted to.

When they reached the bank of lockers, he raised his hand to rest against the side of Joe’s neck and leaned in to kiss him, feeling the other boy’s hand settle on his waist as their lips met. It was short and chaste, but the very fact of being able to do it, regardless of where they were or who might see, sent a deep thrill through Nicky. Pulling back, they locked eyes.

“Good morning.” Joe’s wide smile matched his own and it was only Andy shutting her locker loudly next to them that kept him from leaning in for a deeper kiss.

Taking Joe’s hand in his, Nicky started moving towards his own locker further up the hallway, Andy walking beside them as she told them animatedly about a new rollercoaster that she’d just read about that they would absolutely have to divert to and ride during their road trip.

He barely noticed the many looks they were getting from their fellow students as they walked, too engrossed in the warmth of Joe’s hand in his, the excitement in Andy’s voice, and the feeling that this was going to be a good day.

* * *

“So, what was it you wanted to tell me?” Nile asked as they filed out of their French class for morning break. Nicky shot her a confused look and she expanded, “You were saying something about your mom, before class started. Did something happen?”

Nicky could see the concern in her expression and was quick to reassure her with a grin as he remembered how he’d been trying to fill her in on everything that had happened since they’d parted ways at the end of Prom Saturday night.

“Yeah, something happened, but not bad.” He said, as they stepped into line to buy the muffin that they had gotten into the habit of sharing during break. “My mom came over to Andy’s yesterday afternoon.”

He nodded at the shocked look on Nile’s face as he placed the order and handed over his cash. Nile took the muffin and he continued as they stepped away from the window.

“I’m not sure how she knew where I was staying and she didn’t text or call or anything. She just showed up.” He paused to accept his half of the muffin from her and take a large bite, “I was completely freaked out.”

Nile shrugged, “It’s not like they could do anything more to you than they’d done. You’re 18 and they already kicked you out of the house.”

“Yeah,” Nicky nodded, “that didn’t occur to me until later. And by then it didn’t matter. Like I said, it wasn’t bad. She wanted to tell me that she didn’t agree with my dad’s decision.”

Nile went wide eyed at that, so shocked that she stopped mid-chew. They’d all assumed that it had been both his parents’ decision given how the text was worded. She recovered slightly and continued eating as he went on.

“I guess that’s why it took so long before my dad texted that night. She was trying to talk him out of it.” 

He paused to finish his part of the muffin and Nile wanted to say something, but the shock was still wearing off. Nicky finished swallowing and brushed his hands across his jeans a few times as he resumed his story.

“She told me that she loved me and that, while it was a shock to find out I was gay, it didn’t change that. She wanted to know more about Joe. I’ve talked about all of you guys of course, but she never realized, which was kind of the point. She wanted to know about our relationship and how long it had been going on.” He stopped for a moment, thinking back on the conversation, “I think she was nearly crying when I told her it had been almost four years.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t, just shrugging at her, obviously expecting some kind of response. She nodded thoughtfully for a long moment, thinking about what he’d said before responding.

“That’s really amazing, Nicky. I’m glad that at least one of your parents has a soul.” She knew he didn’t think of it that way, but he also hadn’t begrudged her or any of the others from having their own opinions about his parents and their decision. “What will happen now?”

“I don’t really know,” he admitted, “She’s going to try to get my dad to come around. She thinks their priest might help, but isn’t sure. In the meantime, I’m not going to force her to choose between her husband and her son. We’ll talk and text, I guess.” He shrugged again.

Nile was always astounded by how kind Nicky could be. She didn’t think she’d be so forgiving or patient if she were in his position. She threw aside her own feelings for a moment as she responded.

“That makes sense. I hope that she succeeds with your dad.” She smiled at him just as the bell ending break rang. They were headed separate directions for their next classes, but she gave him a brief hug before he went. “I’m really glad that things are looking up Nicky.”

* * *

“And then he said, ‘He's the moon when I'm lost in darkness and warmth when I shiver in cold.’”

Several of the girls sitting around Susan in the cafeteria looked like they might faint at the deep romanticism of that statement. A couple of others ‘ah’ed and ‘oh’ed just like they would about a particularly adorable puppy. Sitting at the corner of the long table, Andrea Ellison just glared. She’d already voiced her opinion that two boys being together was against God’s will and been shouted down by the rest of the table. She’d been silent since. 

Bao Wang was the only one who spoke. “Oh, wow. The most romantic thing my boyfriend has ever said to me is ‘You look smokin’ in that bikini, babe.’”

Troubled looks went around the table as other girls began to realize that they were in roughly the same boat as Bao. It had been one thing when they’d been able to tell themselves that grand sweeping romance was only something that happened in fairy tales and rom-coms, but now hearing about Joe’s speech, they were starting to reevaluate that belief and it was making them question how they’d been treated by dates and boyfriends to this point.

Susan could sense the unrest in her audience and plowed on, attempting to reclaim the gushy attitude from earlier, “Well, then that’s the goal.” A few of the girls looked confused and she continued, “To find a guy that looks at you and talks about you the way Joe does about Nicky.” She smiled brightly even as one of the other girls spoke.

“Does that mean you don’t expect Jason to be that guy for you?”

“Please,” she responded with an eye roll, “four months from now, Jason and I won’t even be in the same time zone. I like him, but our relationship - like most of yours - has a build in end date.”

The others nodded, acknowledging that none of them were headed to the same colleges as their current boyfriends.

“So,” Susan concluded, “it may take some time, but I’m not going down the aisle with anyone who doesn’t look at me with giant heart eyes full of love and say,” she paused for effect, “‘She’s all and she’s more.’”

“Wait, did Joe say that about Nicky, too?” One of the other girls asked. When she got a nod in response, she voiced what all of them were thinking, “Oh, daaaaamn.”

* * *

“Quynh!”

For a moment, she considered acting like she hadn’t heard his shout across the courtyard. She’d been vaguely avoiding him all day, not looking forward to the ‘I told you so’ that was coming. She dismissed the impulse quickly though, she’d have to face him sooner or later, might as well be now.

Turning, she gave him a reluctant smile as he moved over to her.

Booker’s smug grin as he came to a stop in front of her was exactly what she had expected of him. 

“Soooo,” he dragged out the word as she rolled her eyes at him, trying to keep a smile off her face, but failing. “You were right about the Westerling/DeAndre, Day/Sanders, and Averin/Rivers prom breakups, so I owe you $30.”

He paused and she knew he was hoping she’d take the bait, but she’d been paying just as much attention to the unhappy couples that had become statistics on Saturday as he had and wasn’t going to fall for his bullshit. He realized this quickly.

“You’re no fun.” He whined before swapping to a matter of fact tone as he continued, “But I was right about Knowles/Caselli, Ogan/Markinson, Eski/Milton, Fennekar/Eden, and Trauner/Miles. Which is five, three of which are washed by yours, so you owe me $20.” He grinned as she pulled her wallet out of her purse, but couldn’t refrain from goading her further, “I can’t believe that you didn’t see Carly breaking up with Matteo coming from a mile away.”

“Oh, I did,” she responded as she handed him the cash, “but they’re both such reserved people, I expected it to be after the dance. In private. Not a mild screaming match on the dance floor. Still not sure how you did.”

He just grinned at her knowingly before turning and striding off.

* * *

Mr. Ballin had just pulled out a stack of papers to grade - essays on the motivations of a main character of their choice from Macbeth - when his classroom door was pulled open. He was surprised. The school day was done and they’d finished the last show of the year so there was no rehearsal. He was even more surprised when Joe and Nile stepped through, each carrying or pulling two pieces of obviously empty luggage that he recognized.

They stopped just inside the door - Joe flinching slightly as it slammed shut behind them - as they spotted him behind his desk. Joe looked wary, like he expected to be shouted at, and Nile had a sheepish smile turning up the corners of her mouth as she looked at him. He took a long moment to examine them, before lifting an eyebrow inquiringly and staring pointedly at the four pieces of luggage.

“We borrowed these last week.” Joe rushed to explain, only to stop and look at Nile with panic across his features.

“To help move Nicky’s stuff.” She continued for him.

The tiny amount of annoyance he’d felt at them commandeering his props without asking disappeared as understanding coursed through his brain. He remembered Nicky telling him during their conversation at Prom, that the others had helped him get his stuff out of his parent’s place in case things went badly, as had in fact happened. How could he be mad at a pair of teens willing to go to any lengths to help their friend.

He let a small smile play on his face, but kept his voice stern as he responded. “Make sure they go back to their correct places.” 

They both nodded vigorously and turned toward the back room where props and costumes were kept. They had made it to the door when he spoke again, raising his voice to be heard across the room.

“That includes the proper tags on them.”

As Joe continued into the back room, Nile turned back to him, letting go of the handle of the wheelie she was dragging to reach into her pocket. Pulling the hand back out, she showed him the slips of card on string that he used for all the props. These contained the date they had first received/bought the item, when it was last cleaned if applicable, and the last show the item had been used in. The ones in her hand appeared to have been carefully removed from the items themselves and he grinned at their foresight.

Nodding at her, he shifted his attention back to his grading as the two went about their task.

* * *

Alicia Hernandez seemed as surprised as Yuri at the information that such a disparate group of people were actually close friends. 

“If they’re such good friends, how did none of us notice that?” Disbelief was heavy in her tone.

“I don’t know. We probably should have.” Jack received several shocked looks at this pronouncement, but continued undeterred. “I mean they’ve never really hung out all six together, but Andy, Nicky, and Nile usually come to all of Quynh’s game’s together when a show isn’t happening.”

Megan Miller, who’d been listening in from nearby, turned to add to his thought, “And Nicky, Joe, and Nile do theater together and have always seemed like good friends.” She shrugged, “I mean, there were never any hints that Nicky and Joe were dating, but the three of them hung out pretty often.”

The earlier disbelief was gone from Alicia’s voice as she added her own observations, “Booker, Quynh, and Nicky eat lunch together pretty often.”

“So do Andy, Quynh, Joe, and Booker.” Piped up Aiden Thompson from a table nearby where he’d been trying to finish some math homework.

“So basically,” Yuri said, a large grin on his face as the bell for start of class rang, “we should have known.”

A few of the others laughed and nodded at his point as they made their way to their seats in the horseshoe of desks. Jack was about to continue the discussion even as he sat down, but was stopped by the weary voice of David Nguyen.

“Could we dispense with the gossip for long enough to finish the final layout? Please?” His tone was pleading. 

Jack almost laughed. David, he knew, had joined Yearbook for the sole purpose of putting it on his college applications and had inadvertently surrounded himself with some of the biggest gossips on campus. He felt a little bad for the younger boy and decided that further discussion could wait. Yuri didn’t seem to be of the same opinion.

“Well, now I guess we definitely have to use that photo with the six of them somewhere, don’t we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go, hoping to post that tomorrow or Wednesday.  
> For everyone who was upset by Nicky’s parents’ reaction in the last chapter, I hope this one softens it a bit for you.


	11. Graduation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late everyone, but this is literally the fourth version of this chapter and the only one I didn’t hate when I reread it, so it took a bit more time than expected.

‘Can this just be done already?’ Quynh wondered as Principal Merrick continued to drone on and on. She could tell from the restless movement around her that she wasn’t the only one ready to be done with the graduation ceremony.

It had been fine at the beginning. The speeches had been long and boring, yes, but at least at that point her ass hadn’t yet started to ache from the folding chair she was sitting in and the prospect of getting her diploma had kept her engaged enough to not fall asleep. Now? Her diploma was in her hands - as were all the other students - and if she had to keep sitting on the torture device under her much longer she was going to lead a mutiny.

Besides, the longer it took Merrick to stop talking, the longer it was until she and Andy could reveal their graduation surprise. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for that - and the 20 extended family members that had shown up - she’d have been tempted to skip graduation altogether. Not that her mother would have let her. And, ultimately, she was glad she was there. Not just for the opportunity to walk the stage and officially end her high school career herself, but also to watch her friends do the same.

And they’d all managed it without tripping or doing anything else equally embarrassing, so that was a definite plus.

Finally, nearly three and a half hours after they first sat down and more than an hour since the last student had claimed their diploma, Merrick wrapped his speech with a pretentious and mildly disturbing - though mostly just because of the way he said it - quote from Macbeth. As Pomp and Circumstance began to play through the auditorium speakers, Quynh glanced around her. No one seemed to be sure if they could move while the music played, but as Merrick and Vice Principal Copley were remaining in their chairs everyone else did as well.

It was only as the last of the music died away that most of the students stood and began moving towards the stands that family and friends were making their way out of. Nicky, Joe, Nile and Andy, however, pushed their way against the stream of new graduates to where Quynh had been sitting; Booker just one row in front of her. With no family in the stands to go see since his uncle hadn’t turned up, Booker hadn't even gotten out of his chair and was surprised when the others gathered around him with expectant and gleeful expressions. They didn’t know what Andy and Quynh had in store, but they knew it was something big and they all grinned at Book as they pulled him up out of his chair and began herding him towards the stands.

“What’s going on?” He asked, suspicion heavy in his voice despite allowing them to push him along to where Quynh’s family waited.

When the only answer he got was a somewhat manic grin from Andy and a reassuring pat on the back from Nile, he muttered under his breath as they continued moving, “Why am I friends with you people? Es-tu sur quelque chose?”

As they neared the stands, the others moved to the side while Andy beckoned forward a pretty blonde woman standing with Quynh’s father. Nearby stood three teenagers, all of them looking slightly uncomfortable and out of place. The woman came forward, a tentative smile on her face as she looked at Booker.

“Sebastian,” Book shot Andy a confused look - they never used his given name - as she continued speaking, “this is Gabrielle Moreau.”

For a long moment, the confused look stayed on Booker’s face, but Quynh could see the moment when something clicked for him and the bewildered expression was replaced with one that was mostly neutral, but had just a hint of hope in it.

“Moreau?” The blonde woman smiled widely at him as she nodded. “That was my mother’s name.”

Quynh couldn’t take it anymore. As much as she wanted Booker to figure it out on his own, she was too excited by what this could mean for him.

“Gabrielle is your aunt.” She said, her smile wide as she and Andy then stepped back to give them a bit of space, joining their friends out of the way, but still close enough to listen as Gabrielle started explaining.

“I am so sorry that we didn’t meet before today.” Her English was heavily accented, but she stuck with the language all the same, “I didn’t know that Ava had had a child.”

She paused for a moment, looking unsure how to continue, but when Booker stayed silent she pushed on, “Our father was against your parents’ marriage. He thought Ava was too young and didn’t like that your dad wasn’t Catholic. So when she eloped with him, our parents disowned her.” There were tears streaking down her face, but she continued, “I tried to keep in touch, but when they moved to America, I lost track of her. When we found out that she and your father had been in an accident, there was no mention of a child. We didn’t know that you existed. If we had…” 

She broke off as though she didn’t know what more to say. Before she could try, Booker was moving towards her, speaking too softly for the group to hear, but after only a few sentences, Gabrielle stopped him by wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

They stayed that way for long moments and as she watched, Quynh realized that she had tears running down her own cheeks. For so long Booker had been convinced that the only family he had was a deadbeat uncle who didn’t want him around. And now he was being welcomed by a woman who looked at him with soft pride as they pulled apart. It was magical to witness.

Without looking away from him, Gabrielle beckoned over the teenagers that had been standing with her earlier. When they reached her side, she introduced them.

“These are my children, your cousins: Alexandre,” she gestured to the oldest, a boy of 16, “Victor,” a 14-year-old who looked a lot like his mother, “and Ava, named after your mother.” The 13-year-old gave him a shy wave.

Booker waved back, looking extremely overwhelmed by the last few minutes and the new information that they’d brought. Perhaps Gabrielle sensed this, as she gestured Quynh and the group over and spoke.

“You have amazing friends, mon chou. They found me.” Then she stepped back, gathering her kids with her to give them some space and give him some time to process what he had just learned.

As they gathered around him, Booker gave Quynh a questioning look. He didn’t seem to have recovered enough to speak, but she answered the obvious question.

“It was Andy’s idea.” She said, taking her girlfriend’s hand, “You’ll always be part of this family,” she continued, gesturing to the six of them, “but you deserve to have more than that. To have annoying cousins and patient grandparents and adorable nieces and nephews.” She wasn’t sure what to say next, but Andy picked up the thread immediately.

“So I did some snooping. Once I knew what your mother’s maiden name was, we asked Quynh’s dad to help. To reach out to his diplomatic contacts and see if there was anyone other than your useless uncle to call  _ famille _ .” She smiled softly at him, “It took a while, but…”

She broke off as Booker burst into tears even as he tried to get out a broken ‘Thank you’.

Quynh didn’t hesitate for a moment, dropping Andy’s hand as she stepped forward to wrap her arms around him. Andy followed a half second later and the others were right behind, piling around him as they had done for each other a hundred times before and would continue doing well into the future whenever it was needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. So Booker gets a happy ending and we find out what Andy meant during their invitation writing.
> 
> 2.That’s all for now. I am planning on eventually writing a sequel that follows them to college, but that may be a while, given all the other great story ideas this movie has given me.
> 
> 3\. Thank you all for reading and for the amazing comments and feedback. It is greatly appreciated!
> 
> 4\. My next work, ‘A Drop of Water That in the Ocean Seeks Another Drop’, should have it’s first chapter published in the next couple of weeks:  
> Summary: There were a lot of things that Joe had expected when he'd won a nine day cruise on a replica tall ship at a charity event. The ship's owner, Nicolo di Genova, was not one of them.


End file.
